The Abanse Negrense – NBTC Local Qualifying Tournament is gearing up for an exciting season, officially opening on November 23, although the competition kicks off earlier with games in the North and South Negros Clusters beginning on November 16.
The tournament is hosted by the municipalities of Pontevedra for the South Negros Cluster and Manapla for the North Negros Cluster. The event represents a partnership among the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, the Abanse Negrense Sports Programs, and the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC), led by founder and National Program Director Eric Altamirano.
To ensure a successful season, a coordination meeting was held on October 17 at the Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros (FTMON). Following last season’s success, this marks the second year that the provincial government is facilitating the tournament.
The tournament format divides teams into three clusters: North, South, and Central Negros. It is open to school and non-school teams, ball clubs, and teams representing local government units (LGUs), eligible players are high school or college students born no earlier than January 2005, with Filipino lineage.
Top cluster champions will have the opportunity to represent the Province of Negros Occidental in the next phase of the NBTC League or the Visayas Regional Championships, scheduled for February 2025. The winning team from each cluster will compete against champions from the Central Visayas, Panay Island, and Eastern Visayas Clusters.
Moreover, the top four teams from each Regional Tournament (North Luzon, Mindanao, Visayas, and South Luzon) will advance to the National Finals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in March 2025. The NBTC National Finals is a week-long tournament featuring 32 participating teams, including the Regional Champions, top four teams from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), global participants, and Wild Card qualifiers.
Founded in 2006, the NBTC is the largest grassroots basketball program in the Philippines, designed to provide youth with training and opportunities in basketball, especially in underrepresented areas. The program started in Bacolod City in 2009, continues to reach municipalities and schools across the country by partnering with LGUs.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson shares NBTC’s vision of “developing skills, building character, and raising leaders.” This shared commitment underscores the province’s dedication to implementing sustainable, grassroots sports initiatives for the Negrense youth.*
