The province of Ilocos Norte will host the prestigious National Basketball Training Center (NBTC)-North Luzon Regional Championship in January 2024.
This announcement of Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc in a press conference and media gathering on November 16 at the Premiere Café of SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City cements the status of the province as “sports tourism hub” and underscores his commitment to fostering the growth of basketball and youth sports development in the region.
NBTC is a leading basketball program that provides year-round training to high school players from public and private schools, offering a nationwide basketball tournament where youth compete against some of the top players in the country.
“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,” Gov. Marcos Manotoc remarked.
The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena and Laoag City Auditorium; both facilities are well-equipped to provide a platform for showcasing the skills and potential of the participating teams.
Coach Eric Altamirano, Program Director, said that over the years, NBTC hopes to develop new talents from the high school division. Its new season features 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 scene as we aim to discover more talents from the provinces,” Coach Altamirano said.
“Youth has always been the lifeblood of any sports, and we at NBTC are elated to have strong program partners like Governor Manotoc,” he added.
The Regional Championship will feature intense matchups, skill competitions, and opportunities for scouts and talent evaluators to discover the future stars of Philippine basketball.
Two teams from the UAAP and NCAA, ten international squads from the NBTC Global Games, and 16 teams from LQCs will make up the cast in next year’s competition.
The hosting of the NBTC North Luzon Championship is part of Gov. Marcos Manotoc’s vision of providing a competitive stage for young Ilokano athletes to showcase their talents and compete at the highest level.
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