Kai Sotto reigns supreme in final NBTC 24 rankings

Kai Sotto emerged as the best high school player in the country in the final week of Chooks-to-Go/National Basketball Training Center 24 power rankings.

After eight weeks of deliberation, the Ateneo big man bannered the 24 players who earned a ticket to play in the premier High School All-Star Game in the country that features the best young talents nationwide.

The 15-year-old Sotto, who is also a part of the Gilas Pilipinas “23-for-23” cadet list, was instrumental for the Blue Eaglets as they claimed the UAAP Season 80 juniors’ basketball championship, where he was named as the Finals MVP.

Joel Cagulangan of La Salle Greenhills was named as the top point guard in the nation as he steered the Junior Blazers to their first ever juniors title this past NCAA Season 93 to finished the final rankings at two.

Ateneo playmaker SJ Belangel is at close third, while also being honored as the top senior, followed by NCAA MVP Will Gozum of Mapua at four, and UAAP MVP CJ Cansino of UST at five.

UAAP Mythical Team members Dave Ildefonso of Ateneo and L-Jay Gonzales of FEU were side-by-side at six and seven, respectively, while FCAAF and MMBL MVP John Galinato of Chiang Kai Shek finished at eight.

Completing the top 10 are NU forward Rhayyan Amsali at nine and NCAA Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Fermin of Arellano at 10.

Slotted at 11 to 15 are guard Clint Escamis of Mapua, forward Inand Fornillos of LSGH, center Warren Bonifacio of Mapua, guard Terrence Fortea of NU, and guard RJ Abarrientos of FEU.

San Beda guard Evan Nelle claimed the 16th spot.

CESAFI MVP Beirn Laurente of UV is the first of three Cebuanos which made it to the showcase as he finished at 17, followed by NU senior Miguel Oczon at 18, Adamson star Joem Sabandal at 19, and La Salle Zobel slotman Raven Cortez at 20.

Rounding out the top 24 are Mac Guadana of Lyceum, SM-NBTC Cebu MVP Joshua Yerro of UV, Harvey Pagsanjan of Hope Christian, and Cebuano big man Alex Visser of Sacred Heart-Cebu.

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

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

All 24 players will be on hand for the High School All-Star Game, scheduled on March 23 at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Chooks-to-Go/NBTC 24 is the first-ever attempt to rank the top high school prospects nationwide, with a panel of coaches, sportswriters, and a statistician converging to determine the top 24 high school players in the UAAP, NCAA CESAFI-NBTC, MMBL, and FCAAF tournaments.

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

The Chooks-to-Go/NBTC All-Star Draft is scheduled on Thursday, with coaches Chris Gavina and Topex Robinson set to mentor the two squads.

NCAA champion coach Marvin Bienvenida of LSGH will select for Gavina, while UAAP champion coach Joe Silva of Ateneo will be picking for Robinson.