The long trail taken by the country’s top high school players, from numerous provincial tournaments to the city-wide championships, comes to an sparkling climax on March 9 with the staging of the 2014 Seaoil NBTC League All-Star Game at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.

The event will highlight the March 6-9 Seaoil NBTC League National High School Finals, the official grassroots development program of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas which is backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Meralco, Smart, NLEX, Maynilad, Philex and Molten.

Multi-titled high school coach Ato Badolato, head of the selection committee, went through a fine-tooth comb during the two-day tryout last week to pick the cream of the crop from among this year’s talents.

Arvin Tolentino and Thirdy Ravena, members of the FIBA Under-18 3x3 World Championship team, and national youth standout Hubert Cani lead 30 high school stars looking to hustle and dazzle in the spectacle that is expected to outshine its predecessors.

Last year All-Star Game saw the Letran Squires’ Rey Nambatac, Kyles Lao of Xavier and Jerie Pingoy of Far Eastern University putting on a show before moving on.

Nambatac went on to play for the Knights, Lao joined the UP Maroons, and Pingoy is now with Ateneo.

“This may be the most talented batch of high school players in the last three editions. Talagang nagkasabay-sabay,” said Eric Altamirano, NBTC national program director.

Cani, along with Tolentinon, National U teammate John Paul Cauilan and Chiang Kai Shek’s Mohammed Salim, appeared during Monday’s press launch and all expressed excitement over the coming All-Star Game.

Also on tap are are NU’s Lorenzo Battad and Manuel Mosqueda, San Beda’s Javee Mocon, Ranbill Tongco and Rev Diputado, Michael Calisaan, San Sebastian’s Alfred Gayosa, Ryan Paule Costelo, and Ranzelle Yong, and Hope Christian High School’s John Apacible, Jobert Mercado and Arjan Dela Cruz.

Jarrel Lim and Isaac Go of Xavier, Ivan Villanueva of Letran, Richard Escoto of Far Eastern University, Justin Serrano of Mapua-Malayan, and Diego Dario of University of the Philippines likewise made it.

Several players from outside the Big City also caught the selection committee’s attention and made the cut: Allen Delos Santos of Claret School Zamboanga, Glenn Gallardo of Sacred Heart of Jesus-Cagayan De Oro, Joshua Edjan of Hua Siong College of Iloilo, Keith Lowell Pido of West Negros University, Allyn Bulanadi of Assumption College of Davao, and Arnie Padilla of Sacred Heart School Cebu.