Governors win down the wire

It a fleeting moment — five seconds to be exact -- three players conspired for an All-Star play that produced a classic victory in the 2003 PBA All-Star Game last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Marlou Aquino pulled down the defensive rebound following a missed jumper by Eric Menk then pitched an outlet pass to Vergel Meneses who then advanced the ball to Kenneth Duremdes for a buzzer-beating layup as the Governors All Stars pulled off a nail-biting 124-122 win over their Commissioners’ counterparts.

Meneses, who fuelled a searing rally in the third quarter and lent a hand in the game-winning play, went home with the MVP plum — his fourth after winning the same award in 1995, 1998 and 2000.

But the FedEx star forward, who logged 27 points, three assists and one rebound, shared the award with former teammate Kenneth Duremdes who he thought also deserved it for rising up at the finish, actually scoring all but three of the team’s last 14 points.

"Partners para sa atin dalawa ito," said Meneses in accepting the award to the cheers of the highly-appreciative crowd.

"Okay na rin sa akin yung panalo and the winning basket," said Duremdes, the 1996 All-Star MVP winner who finished with 22 points, five rebounds and two assists in the contest.

Winning coach Derrick Pumaren, meanwhile, joked: "Nanalo kami dahil nahilo ang kalaban nag-point guard si Marlou Aquino."

All-Star Notes: Seven players made their debut with six from the Commissioners team in Willie Miller, Romel Adducul, Jimmy Alapag, Mick Pennisi, Enrico Villanueva and Lordy Tugade and one in the Governors squad in Mike Cortez… Players who made it to every staging of the event since they entered the league were Kenneth Duremdes, Danny Ildefonso and Dondon Hontiveros. Marlou Aquino missed once in 2001. Alvin Patrimonio has the most number of All-Star appearances with 12. He has missed the All-Star Game just twiced with the first in 1992 because of an injury… Alvin Patrimonio (1991), Vergel Meneses (1995), Benjie Paras (1999) and Danny Ildefonso (2001) were All-Star Game MVP winners who went on to win MVP honors at season’s end… The PBA honored three individuals in Iluminada "Aling Lumeng" Pagala, Prudencio "Jolens" Villegas and Evelina "Tita Belen" Fran as PBA’s All-Time Fans.