Ginebra's Caguioa to miss PBA All-Star

MANILA, Philippines - Ginebra top gun Mark Caguioa will miss what could have been his sixth PBA All-Star Game due to a personal matter he’s now attending to in the United States.

Caguioa left for the US May 9 and was supposed to return in time for the 2011 Hala Bola! PBA All-Star Week slated May 18-22.

The five-time PBA All-Star participant, however, was forced to extend his US stay due to an emergency that suddenly cropped up.

“We were properly informed but, to be fair to everyone, we still have to find if he has valid reason to miss the All-Star,” said PBA commissioner Chito Salud.

Caguioa has missed a number of PBA activities in the past. In 2006, he flew to Cagayan de Oro only on the day of the All-Star Game, skipping the league’s outreach programs then.

PBA officials chose Alaska’s LA Tenorio to take Caguioa’s slot in the North starting five, but opted not to name a 12th man for the team anymore.

The other North starters are Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood, Derby Ace’s Marc Pingris and Kerby Raymundo and Ginebra’s Willie Miller while the reserves are Meralco’s Macmac Cardona, Talk n Text’s Ranidel de Ocampo and Harvey Carey and San Miguel Beer’s Arwind Santos, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Alex Cabagnot.

The North stars, under coach Ato Agustin, hope to repeat their 133-132 decision over the South team last year in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The South team arrived in Boracay yesterday with its complete slate except coach Chot Reyes who’s still with the PLDT-Smart bosses in their US business trip. They’re set to return to Manila on Saturday.

Derby Ace’s James Yap, the player who drew the largest number of fan votes, banners the South team that includes other starters in Jay Washington of SMB, Kelly Williams of TnT, Eric Menk of Ginebra and Cyrus Baguio of Alaska.

Coming off the bench are TnT’s Jimmy Alapag, Derby Ace’s PJ Simon, Meralco’s Asi Taulava, Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros and Danny Seigle, and Alaska’s Joe Devance and Sonny Thoss.

Hontiveros and Taulava will be playing their 11th All-Star, one shy of the all-time most record of 12 held by Alvin Patrimonio. Hontiveros has not missed the annual mid-season spectacle since joining the league viaTanduay in 2000.

Alapag, Menk and Miller will be in their ninth All-Star, Raymundo and Yap in their eighth, Thoss seventh, Seigle sixth and Baguio, Cardona, De Ocampo, Pingris and Williams fifth.

The 2011 PBA All Star Week is presented by Smart, Accel, Molten, Islander, Rain or Shine and Powerade and sponsored by Coca-Cola, Meralco, Alta Vista Boracay, Talk n Text, Puma and Maynilad.