146-man delegation to Cebu for All Stars

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Noli Eala leads the first contingent of the league’s 146-man entourage that will fly this morning bound for to the Queen City of the South which will play host to this year’s Annual All-Star Week.

Eala and Co. are expected to arrive at the Cebu domestic airport on board Cebu Pacific Airline at 10 o’clock and will be welcomed by Patrick Gregorio, head of the Cebu Visitors and Convention bureau –a group which helped the league organize the affair.

Upon arrival at this bustling city, the delegation will officially mark the start of the weeklong activities with a motorcade around the city followed by a visit to two elementary schools and a street children foundation for an outreach program for kids.

"This is the first time the PBA is holding this annual affair for one whole week and we readily picked Cebu as host because we acknowledge this city as the Mecca of basketball in the south," Eala said on the eve of the group’s departure.

"This undertaking will truly be a memorable one. I just hope the people of Cebu particularly our loyal fans will join us throughout the weeklong activity."

The 36-man delegation includes 17 participants of the skills events and are coming in early to conduct outreach program and other community services. Among the notables in the flight are Mike Cortez and Brandon Cablay of Alaska, Renren Ritualo, Mark Pingris and Wesley Gonzales of FedEx, Anthony dela Cruz and Michael Hrabak of Shell, Mick Pennisi, Topex Robinson and Cyrus Baguio of Red Bull Barako.

To smoothen out preparations for the league’s biggest extravaganza and ensure the success of the mid-year festivities sponsored by Talk N Text and supported by Gran Matador, Accel, Viva Mineral Water, Air 21, McDonald’s and Cebu Pacific, the PBA secretariat flew a day ahead of the Commissioner’s group.

The remainder of the delegation will be coming in the next three days with the biggest group that includes members of the North and South teams due Thursday.

Among the socio-civic activities include orphanage and hospital visits, campus tours, coastal cleanup, anti-drug campaign and fund-raising campaigns.

The qualifying stage and finals of the skills events–3-point shootout, obstacle and trick shot–will be held on Saturday PBA. The finals of the slam dunk event will be staged on Sunday, preceding the All-Star game.

Starting for the South All-Star are Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, Kenneth Duremdes, James Yap and Jimmy Alapag. Completing the team are John Ferriols, Jun Limpot, Dondon Hontiveros, Dale Singson, Joachim Thoss, Ronald Tubid and Junthy Valenzuela.

First five for the North All-Stars are Rommel Adducul, Rich Alvarez, Vergel Meneses, Olsen Racela and Paul Artadi. Also in the team are Willie Miller, Mark Caguioa, Enrico Villanueva, Rudy Hatfield, Davonn Harp, Ali Peek, and Tony dela Cruz.

Yeng Guiao will coach the North Side while Joel Banal will call the shots for the South Team.