Blue Eaglets soar in third week of NBTC 24

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Ateneo Blue Eaglets soared high in this week’s Chooks-to-Go/National Basketball Training Center 24 power rankings with pacesetter Kai Sotto now being trailed by teammate SJ Belangel.

The 1-2 combo kept the Katipunan crew’s pristine 11-0 UAAP Season 80 record intact, allowing Belangel to eclipse Joel Cagulangan of La Salle Greenhills for the second spot.

FEU-Diliman playmaker RJ Abarrientos also earned himself a ticket to the top 10, while Joaqui Manuel of Ateneo has shot up to the top 20.

Also making their entries in the weekly high school power rankings are reigning CESAFI MVP Beirn Laurente of University of Visayas and returning Joem Sabandal of Adamson.

Here is the list for the third week of Chooks-to-Go NBTC 24, with last week’s rank in the parenthesis:

1. Kai Sotto, center, Ateneo (1)
2. SJ Belangel, guard, Ateneo (3)
3. Joel Cagulangan, guard, La Salle Greenhills (2)
4. Will Gozum, center, Mapua (4)
5. L-Jay Gonzales, guard, FEU-Diliman (5)
6. Rhayyan Amsali, forward, NU (7)
7. CJ Cansino, forward, UST (8)
8. Dave Ildefonso, forward, Ateneo (6)
9. RJ Abarrientos, guard, FEU-Diliman (12)
10. Clint Escamis, guard, Mapua (9)
11. Terrence Fortea, guard, NU (11)
12. Aaron Fermin, center, Arellano (10)
13. Inand Fornilos, forward, CSB-LSGH (13)
14. Evan Nelle, guard, San Beda (14)
15. John Galinato, guard, Chiang Kai Shek (16)
16. Warren Bonifacio, center, Mapua (15)
17. Joaqui Manuel, forward, Ateneo (21)
18. Raven Cortez, center, La Salle Zobel (18)
19. Mac Guadaña, guard, Lyceum (17)
20. Harvey Pagsanjan, guard, Hope Christian (19)
21. Maui Cruz, guard, EAC (20)
22. Joem Sabandal, guard, Adamson (N/A)
23. Beirn Laurente, guard, UV (N/A)
24. Harold Alarcon, guard, Tay Tung-Bacolod (22)

Every week, a panel of coaches, sportswriters, and a statistician converge to come up with the weekly rankings to determine the top 24 high school players in the UAAP, CESAFI-NBTC, MMBL, and FCAAF tournaments, together with the recently concluded NCAA competition.

The players were ranked based on the following criteria: league stats, impact in team, team record, leadership, defense, offense, and level of competition.

The top 24 players still on the board for the power rankings in early March will be picked to play in the SM-National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) High School All-Star Game later that month at Mall of Asia Arena.