National University Nazareth School is the Philippines’ representative at the next month’s annual NBA Rising Stars Invitational in Singapore. The Bullpups dominated the Philippine qualifiers, with their boys’ and girls’ teams emerging victorious in their respective divisions.

NBA Philippines, with support from partners including 2K, showcased the country’s top young basketball talent and reaffirmed its commitment to basketball culture, both in-game and on the court

National University stood tall against all teams, literally, besting the UST Tiger Cubs in the boys’ division and La Salle College Antipolo in the girls’ division with scores you would typically see in a video game. MVP Shaun Lucido’s stellar 25-point outing propelled the Bullpups to a 101-75 victory over UST, while Zuzzane Singson’s MVP performance of 16 points and 18 rebounds carried them over La Salle with a final score of 107-49. Basketball fans eager to relive the excitement can do so in NBA 2K25, which offers the perfect platform to recreate these games thanks to its realistic gameplay and accurate simulation.

NBA rising star Jeremy Sochan from the San Antonio Spurs was also in attendance, amazed by the skill and passion of young players from the country. “You have to have the mentality of working hard, of being a ‘dog.’ I see a lot of that heart and passion.”

Sochan also comments about seeing himself on NBA 2K25. “Growing up, it’s pretty cool to see yourself in the game. Once I started college, I didn’t get to play too much, but it’s always cool to play here and there with your friends.”

The Philippines will now compete against other elite teams from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region from June 25 to 29, where 2K will again be in attendance.