After a sabbatical last year, the All-Star Game is back with a new set-up pitting the best players from the league’s two divisions in the current tournament. The All-Star departs from its old Veterans versus Rookies/Sophomores/Juniors format.
Surprisingly, three past All-Star Game MVP winners in Vergel Meneses, Kenneth Duremdes and Danny Ildefonso have found themselves together in coach Derrick Pumaren’s Governors All-Star team challenging coach Yeng Guiao’s Commissioners All Stars, including blue-chip Fil-Am players Eric Menk, Asi Taulava, Jimmy Alapag, Rudy Hatfield, Chris Jackson and Mick Pennisi.
The game is set at 6:30 p.m. after the staging of the finals of the All-Star side events — slamk dunk contest, three-point shootout, obstacle course and two-ball — starting at 4 p.m. A celebrity three-on-three game is also in the program before the main event.
Other players at Pumaren’s disposal are John Arigo, Marlou Aquino, Dondon Hontiveros, Olsen Racela, Kerby Raymundo, Dennis Espino, Mike Cortez, Don Allado and Nic Belasco. Guiao’s other All Stars are Willie Miller, Romel Adducul, Jeff Cariaso, Chris Calaguio, Lordy Tugade and Enrico Villanueva.
Pennisi and Villanueva were tapped to take the spots of Davonn Harp and Jun Limpot who were suspended indefinitely for alleged violation of the league’s rules on illegal drugs. Calaguio, meanwhile, replaced Johnny Abarrientos who suffered an injury.
Guiao considers the Governors All Stars the slight favorites having a more balance lineup with height, heft and speed.
Guiao is in his second stint as an All-Star coach after steering the Light team to victory over the Dark squad of player-coach Robert Jaworski in 1991. Pumaren is in his fourth All-Star but looking only for a second win.
In the eliminations of the side events Friday, Talk N Text’s Jimmy Alapag topped the Three-Point Shootout, Ginebra’s Rob Johnson bested all rivals in the Obstacle Course competition while Sunday Salvacion and Aries Dimaunahan also of Ginebra emerged the No. 1 pair in the Two-Ball contest.