16 teams battle in national high school championships

MANILA, Philippines — And then there were 16 teams left.

After a long and grueling competition among over 200 high schools from 20 cities all over the country in the 2012-13 Seaoil National Basketball Training Center season, the last 16 schools standing will compete for the prestigious title of the best high school team in the land.

Making it to the Round of 16 are Meralco Christian Values School from Cavite, Smart Sto. Domingo National HS from Legazpi City, Meralco Calayan Educational Foundation Inc. from Lucena, NLEX St. Albert D’ Great School from Dagupan, NLEX Don Bosco Technical Institute from Tarlac, NLEX La Union, Philex Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School from Cagayan de Oro, Philex Holy Child College of Davao, Philex Southern City College of Zamboanga, Smart Iloilo Central Commercial HS, Smart West Negros University from Bacolod, Maynilad Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu as well as Manila-based champions Extreme 97 San Beda College, Exceed Diesel National University, 4T Power Faith Academy, and Mako Hope Christian HS.

The cities that participated in the tournament are from North Luzon (La Union, Olongapo, Baguio, Dagupan and Tarlac), South Luzon (Cavite, Lucena, Batangas, Legazpi and Naga), Visayas (Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Ormoc, and Tacloban), and Mindanao (Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Bukidnon and Zamboanga).

Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu is the two-time defending tournament champion. In last year’s finals, the Magis Eagles behind Julius Cadavis and Henry Asilum defeated La Union College of Nursing Arts and Sciences, 90-78.

Cadavis is now with the Arellano University Chiefs in the NCAA while Asilum is with the UP Fighting Maroons.

All 16 teams will figure in sudden death knockout matches from March 1 and 2 at the Philsports Arena and Ynares Center in Pasig while the Seaoil NBTC Finals will be played on Sunday, March 3 after the second Seaoil NBTC High School All-Star Game.

The Seaoil NBTC tournament is also supported by the MVP Sports Foundation and is the official high school basketball tournament of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. – Rappler.com