Scottie-less East faces West in NCAA All Stars

MANILA, Philippines - MVP Scottie Thompson begged off at the last minute due to back woes but Team East won’t back down as it faces the West squad in the NCAA All Star Game at The Arena in San Juan today.

Thompson complained of back spasms after helping the Perpetual Help Altas survive the Jose Rizal U Bombers, 86-83, last Tuesday and reluctantly informed Team East of his decision to skip this year’s festivities.

John Ylagan will take over Thompson’s spot.

Bright Akhuetie, who leads the league in scoring with 21.3-point norm, hopes to play the leader’s role along with Arellano U’s Jio Jalalon and San Beda’s Arthur dela Cruz as they brace for a fierce showdown with the West.

Other members of the East are Arellano’s Zach Nicholls and Kent Salado, San Beda’s Ryusei Koga and Michole Sorela, San Sebastian’s Bradwyn Guinto, Jamil Ortuoste and Michael Calisaan, Jose Rizal’s Tey Teodoro, Abdul Razak Abdul Wahab and Jordan dela Paz and Perpetual Help’s Gab Dagangon.

Bannering the Team West are Lyceum’s Joseph Gabayni, Wilson Baltazar and Shaq Alanes, Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme, JP Nieles and Justin Serrano, St. Benilde’s Jonathan Grey, Pons Saavedra and Jeffrey Ongteco and Emilio Aguinaldo’s Francis Munsayac, Sydney Onwubere and Christ Mejos.

The All-Star festivities start at 2 p.m. with the announcement of the Ms. NCAA winners and the staging of the three-point shootout and slam dunk contests.

The inaugural All-Star Game last year proved to be a smash hit, prompting league management committee chair Melchor Divina of Mapua to announce the annual staging of the event.

St. Benilde’s Travis Jonson will defend the three-point shootout title while the slam dunk title will be contested by a slew of foreign players – Americans Dioncee Holts of Arellano and Mustapha Yankie Haruna of College of St. Benilde, Nigerians Allwell Oraeme of Mapua and Prince Eze of Perpetual Help and Cameroonian Laminou Hamadou.

Lyceum’s Jebb Bulawan and Letran’s Rey Publico, beaten by Cameroonian Arnaud Noah of San Beda for the slam dunk crown, are also joining the event for the second time.