Skills, blitz events kick off All-Star

CAGAYAN DE ORO — After getting a red-carpet welcome from the hosts, the PBA stars take their turn to give the local folks great entertainment as action in the 2006 Hope PBA All-Star Extravaganza fires off today at the Xavier University gym here.

Hostilities in the annual mid-season event, held in Mindanao island for the first time ever, get underway with the staging of the Skills Events and the Rookies versus Sophomores Blitz Game, ushering in the much-awaited All-Star Game tomorrow in the same venue.

The league’s deadliest gunners, most acrobatic high-flyers and most skillful playmakers take center stage in the initial blast of action in this spectacle hosted by Misamis Oriental in cooperation with Xtreme Magic Sing and Welcoat Paints. The event is also supported by Sunbolt sports drink, Chowking, Mentos, Accel and Air21.

The slam dunk competition could become the highlight of the All-Star Friday with reigning champion Niño Canaleta ranged against former titlists Cyrus Baguio and Brandon Cablay. A fourth entry is Coca-Cola high leaper John Arigo.

"It’s gonna be a tough battle but I’ll try my best to reclaim the title," said Baguio, the 2004 champion who was unable to go for a title-repeat last year due to an injury.

Like Canaleta, Jimmy Alapag, Topex Robinson and Paolo Hubalde are all back to defend their crowns in the other Skills Events even as the Sophies seek a repeat of their conquest of the Rookies in the Laoag edition of their duel last year.

Alapag goes for back-to-back three-point shootout championships against Renren Ritualo, Larry Fonacier, Mark Caguioa, James Yap, William Antonio, Olsen Racela and Nic Belasco; Robinson stakes his Obstacle Course crown against Caguioa, Mike Cortez, Dennis Miranda, Paul Artadi, Alex Cabagnot, Dondon Hontiveros, Willie Miller and Ronald Tubid; and Hubalde bids for a title-repeat in Trick Shots against Miller, Tubid, Helterbrand and Jimwel Torion.

The three-point shootout is another exciting event in the day with the top three placers in this event later teaming up to take on Jojo Lastimosa, Ricric Marata and Boybits Victoria in the Legends Three-Point Challenge tomorrow.

The 2006 All-Star Week reached fever pitch yesterday with the arrival of the bulk of the PBA delegation headed by league commissioner Noli Eala, his staff and the league’s stars.

During the press conference at the Misamis Oriental Capitol, the All-Star participants vowed to give the people of this province great entertainment.

"This year’s All-Star festivities in your beautiful province is a must-see event of the PBA for all basketball fans. All preparations have been made in an effort to make the extravaganza the biggest, most elaborate and most fun-filled ever," said Eala.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno and his people gave the PBA delegation a warm welcome and promised to provide the necessary support to ensure the success of the event.

With the event back in their turf, the South All Stars expressed eagerness to get back at the North team which repulsed them in Laoag last year.

"We’ll give them a tough fight. We won’t allow Jayjay (Helterbrand) to once again score 37 points," said Talk n Text’s Asi Taulava. It will be remembered that the Ginebra pointguard scored that much in Laoag to lead the North team to a 131-128 win over the South.

Red Bull’s Enrico Villanueva, however, said they will try their best to show up the Southerners in their turf.

"So far, palaging host team ang nananalo sa All-Star Game. We’ll try to break that cycle," said Villanueva.