Dalupan, Jawo in ‘Greatest Game’

It’s now all systems go for the staging of the PBA Greatest Game which highlights the league’s 30th anniversary celebration May 28, with legendary coaches Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan and Robert "The Big J" Jaworski tapped to call the shots for the two teams clashing in the classic match.

"With coach Baby Dalupan and Senator Jaworski accepting our invitation for them to coach the two teams, everything now is a go," said PBA commissioner Noli Eala, confirming what The STAR had exclusively reported as the special event to spice up the enshrinement of 30 individuals to the PBA Hall of Fame.

The 25 PBA greatest players named during the league’s silver anniversary comprise the two teams slugging it out in the "Greatest Game."

All players have confirmed their participation, except Ricky Brown and Abet Guidaben who have begged off due to pressing matters they need to attend to in the United States, and Ramon Fernandez, with whom the PBA is still trying to get in touch.

The players will be divided into two teams through drafting to be held starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong.

One team is to be called the PBA Legends under Dalupan and the other PBA Greats under Jaworski.

Francis Arnaiz has been seeded in the PBA Greats since he’s been tapped to be Jaworski’s assistant coach. San Miguel coach Jong Uichico, meanwhile, has agreed to assist Dalupan on the PBA Legends bench.

Briefing for all participants in the event, which has Touch Mobile as major sponsor, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the PBA office inside the Ultra Complex in Pasig.

"It’s really all systems go, and we’re grateful to coach Baby and Senator Jaworski. Coach Baby Dalupan was supposed to go to the US for the graduation of his oldest grandson but he decided to stay home to join us in this endeavor. Senator Jaworski, on the other hand, is excited to once again play with his old peers," said Eala.

Those who have confirmed their participation in the event are active PBA players Kenneth Duremdes, Vergel Meneses, Johnny Abarrientos and Jerry Codiñera and retired players Alvin Patrimonio, Benjie Paras, Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Jojo Lastimosa, Hector Calma, Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Freddie Hubalde, Bogs Adornado, Bernie Fabiosa, Lim Em Beng, Ato Agustin, Ronnie Magsanoc, Danny Florencio and Manny Panner.

Brown, the league’s MVP awardee in 1985, expressed his regrets that he couldn’t come because he’s in charge of the preparation and actual staging of the graduation in the US school where he now works as assistant principal.

Guidaben, one of six multi-MVP winners in the league along with Fernandez, Patrimonio, Adornado, Paras and Danny Ildefonso, couldn’t come as he’s reportedly working on his green card in the US.