Visayas All Stars thump PBA Smart five

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Jeff Chan, Terrence Romeo and Jericho Cruz all churned out prolific games to negate Calvin Abueva’s monstrous 41-point and 27-rebound performance as the PBA Visayas All Stars topped the Smart PBA All Stars, 157-141, in the closing match of the 2018 PBA All Stars at the San Agustin Gym here last night.

Chan top scored with 29 points, Romeo followed up a record 48-point game in Batangas with 27 markers here while Cruz sizzled with a triple-double effort with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists as PBA Visayas put up a proud stand on their home court here against national training team.

James Yap, Ronald Tubid, June Mar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter provided solid backup jobs the Visayans shrugged off with the last minute pullout of Iloilo pride Kiefer Ravena.

But the regional team didn’t lack the firepower and showmanship as the Visayan All Stars dealt the Smart Team Phl a second loss in the three-leg series.

Romeo scored a twin-kill with his MVP performance with Smart Team Phl in Batangas and with his big contribution in the PBA Visayas’ triumph here.

But with his team-high 29 points that went with seven rebounds, Chan took the MVP honors over Romeo and Cruz. It’s the second All-Stars MVP plum for the gunslinger from the nearby Bacolod City.

Chan sizzled with 14 points as the Visayans took the half at 80-73. He added four markers in the third period and 11 in the fourth, including back-to-back buckets that stretched their lead to 142-128.

In the dying seconds, 5-foot-6 Iloilo pride Emman Monfort, while being lifted up by Fajardo, scored on a two-handed jam to wild cheers from his kababayans.

Smart Team Phl fought the Visayans to a battle in the first half marked by 13 deadlocks and 12 lead changes. But the Nationals failed to recover as they fell behind by 12, 103-115, at the end of the third.

The scores:

PBA Visayas 157 – Chan 29, Romeo 27, Cruz 20, Yap 17, Tubid 15, Fajardo 14, Slaughter 11, Ross 8, Quinahan 7, Monfort 5, Taulava 4.

Smart Team Phl 141 – Abueva 41, Wright 28, Aguilar 20, Pogoy 15, Rosario 13, Belo 12, Castro 8, Norwood 2, Jalalon 2.

Quarterscores: 33-36, 80-73, 115-103, 157-141