All-Star Game sidelights

The highlight of the coming PBA All-Star Weekend is, of course, the All-Star Game, featuring 28 of the league’s top current stars with the added bonus of two legends for the North and two legends for the South in Calasiao on March 31. But the main dish isn’t the only tantalizing offering in the All-Star menu. On Friday, March 29, fans will get a big kick out of the first-ever contest between the Rookies-Sophomores against the Juniors and the three major skills events – the Obstacle Challenge, Three-point Shootout and the Slam Dunk Competition.

In the past, the PBA has staged as the chief aperitif to the Al-Star Game, the duel between the Rookies and Sophomores. Now, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial has taken the showdown a step further in gathering the Rookies and Sophomores in one team and the Juniors in the other. It’ll be a competitive battle, no doubt, with pride, prestige and bragging rights at stake.

In the Rookies-Sophomores team are freshmen Jeron Teng, Robert Bolick, Abu Tratter, Paul Desiderio, C. J. Perez, Trevis Jackson and Javee Mocon and second-year pros Mark Tallo, Toto Jose, Jason Perkins, Rey Nambatac and Robbie Herndon. In the Juniors team are R. R. Pogoy, Bryan Cruz, Mac Belo, Ael Banal, Kevin Ferrer, Rashawn McCarthy, Mike Tolomia, Von Pessumal, Ed Daquioag, Jio Jalalon, Matthew Wright and Russel Escoto. Of the 24 players in both lineups, four are playing in the All-Star Game – Perkins for the North and Pogoy, Belo and Jalalon for the South.

The Obstacle Challenge will assemble only bigs for the second straight year. This puts an emphasis on the ability of centers and power forwards to handle the ball. Last year, Beau Belga took the crown with a final clocking of 21.7 seconds and Poy Erram came in second at 29.6. This year, Belga and Erram are back to lead a 12-man field. Two semifinalists from last year are also returning for another shot at the crown – Justin Chua and Yousef Taha. The rest of the competitors are Noy Baclao, Mo Tautuaa, Jose, Prince Caperal, Escoto, Bryan Faundo, Rafi Reavis and in a much-awaited appearance, JuneMar Fajardo. It’s the only skill event that Fajardo is participating in so fans are curious to find out how the five-time MVP will do.

The Three-point Shootout is led by defending champion James Yap. Three contestants who failed to crash the final last year are back to try their luck once more – Matthew Wright, L. A. Tenorio and Marcio Lassiter. Others in the deadshot cast are Pogoy, Simon Enciso, Philip Paniamogan, Bolick, Mike DiGregorio, Reden Celda, Baser Amer and P. J. Simon. 

In the Slam Dunk Competition, four-time winner Rey Guevara is back to defend his title. Guevara shared the crown with Justin Melton in 2014 but took solo recognition in 2015, 2016 and 2018. His streak was interrupted by Chris Newsome who won in 2017 and returns as challenger. Last year’s runner-up Renz Palma is also in the list of competitors with Lervin Flores. Perez is the darkhorse in the five-man joust and with his amazing hops, might just pull a surprise.

The Calasiao Sports Complex has a listed seating capacity of 4,000. Expect the venue to be packed to the rafters for both the Friday and Sunday events of the PBA All-Star Weekend. The entire PBA bandwagon will roll into Pangasinan on Thursday, March 28, with CSR activities in the schedule for the first day. It’s the 30th anniversary of the PBA All-Star Game so the pro league is pulling out all the stops in making sure the weekend will be an unforgettable experience for the fans.

Postscript. Advance happy birthday to the PBA’s chief statistician Fidel Mangonon who’s celebrating this Saturday. Fidel also happens to be the deputy tournament director of the Metro Manila League which was formed in 2017. The M-League is the premier inter-city/municipality sports league in Metro Manila. From a start of 16-and-under boys and 24-and-under men’s basketball tournaments, the M-League now has competitions in 16-and-under girls and 24-and-under women’s volleyball, 13-and-under boys basketball and an Open men’s basketball tilt with three conferences a year. Metro Manila Sports Fest chairman and M-League tournament director is Bonnie Tan. Ex-PBA star Glenn Capacio is the basketball commissioner and Francis Vicente the volleyball commissioner.