LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) – Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc announced the Province of Ilocos Norte will be hosting the prestigious National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) North Luzon Regional Championship in January 2024.
NBTC is a prominent basketball program that delivers continuous training for high school students, both from public and private institutions. It organizes a nationwide basketball tournament, providing a platform for youth to compete against some of the country’s top players.
As the province continues to solidify its status as a sports tourism hub of the north, the hosting of NBTC reaffirms Manotoc’s dedication of promoting basketball and advancing youth sports development in the region.
“We are very honored and pleased to play host to Northern Luzon. While we truly believe that we are the sports tourism hub of the north, talagang sakto po na we were selected, and we look forward to welcoming hundreds of participants and family and friends to Ilocos Norte,” said Manotoc.
The tournament will be held at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena and Laoag City Auditorium. The said venues are well-equipped for displaying the skills and potentials of the participating teams.
Coach Eric Altamirano, program director, expressed the aspiration of NBTC to develop emerging talents from the high school division in the coming years.
Its new season includes ongoing Local City Qualifiers and Global talent identification camps, leading to the National Finals in March 2024 at SM MOA Arena.
“This is the first time we will be having the regional championship. This will further energize the local basketball scence as we aim to discover more talents from the provinces,” said Altamirano.
The regional championship will showcase intense matchups, skill competitions, and opportunities for scouts and talent evaluators to identify the future stars of Philippine basketball.
Two teams from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), ten international squads from the NBTC Global Games, and 16 teams from LQCs will make up the cast in next year’s competition.
“Youth has always been the lifeblood of any sports, and we at NBTC are elated to have strong program partners like Governor Manotoc,” Altamirano remarked. (JCR/MJTAB PIA Ilocos Norte)
