Guevarra, Romeo put All-Star titles on the block

MANILA, Philippines - Terrence Romeo and Rey Guevarra will be the men to watch in the 2017 PBA All-Star Skills Competitions as they try to extend their reigns as three-point shootout king and dunking champ versus a slew of tough challengers at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena on April 28.

Romeo, the GlobalPort hotshot, seeks a three-peat feat while Guevarra, the Meralco high-flyer, looks to close in on KG Canaleta’s record as five-time winner in the slam-dunk contest.

Rain or Shine guard Maverick Ahanmisi, meanwhile, defends his crown in the Obstacle Challenge in the Lucena festivities that will have as main feature the PBA Luzon All-Stars versus Gilas Pilipinas setto.

The 2017 PBA All-Star Spectacle showcases two other legs in Cagayan de Oro on April 26 and in Cebu on April 30. A PBA Mindanao selection tangles with Gilas in CDO and an all-Visayan squad challenges the SEABA-bound Phl team in Cebu.

But the keenly awaited All-Star side events will all be held in Lucena.

Romeo, the three-point winner in Palawan in 2015 and at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last year, tries to match Mark Macapagal’s three-peat from 2010-12, defending his crown against a roster of challengers led by 2013 winner Chris Tiu.

Also on the list are Alaska’s Simon Enciso, Ginebra’s LA Tenorio, Mahindra’s Gary David, NLEX’s Juami Tiongson, Meralco’s Jared Dillinger, Star’s Allein Maliksi, TNT’s Larry Fonacier, Blackwater’s Ronjay Buenafe or Michael DiGregorio and SMB’s Marcio Lassiter or Alex Cabagnot.

Macapagal is the record-holder with four titles. Romeo, meanwhile, is a two-time winner like Ricric Marata, Jasper Ocampo, Boyet Fernandez and Jimmy Alapag.

Guevarra goes for a four-peat in the slam-dunk contest but he’s likely to face stiff competition against a field led by former winners Justin Melton and Gabe Norwood.

Also entered in the event is Chris Newsome who narrowly lost the finale last year.