EVEN ALL-STAR WEEK HAD SHARE OF HITS AND MISSES

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When the stars of the Philippine Basketball Association gathered to give fans a total treat in the recent PBA All-Star Week in Digos City, there were several stars who shone the brightest.

New champions emerged in the three-point shootout and slam dunk contest while an old guard stayed on his throne as the skills king for the fourth straight year.

Two former tamaraws emerged as co-MVPs in the All-Star Game while the two teams which took centerstage during the main game of the all-star festivities had to settle for a draw.

A legend brought back the hands of time and stood out in the Stalwarts versus Greats game while several personalities turned out to be a big hit outside the basketball court.

Hits

Chris Ellis – Hail the new king of slam. The Barangay Ginebra forward dazzled the crowd with an array of rim-rattling slams. Inspired by the legendary Samboy Lim, now team manager of Barangay Ginebra, Ellis paid tribute to the Skywalker by dedicating his first dunk to him, setting the tone to winning the dunkfest over another high-flyer and teammate Elmer Espiritu.

Chris Tiu – He was an instant hit be it on the playing court or outside of it. His charm was infectious that he was given a rock star treatment in Davao. Fans mobbed him, from the airport,the Marco Polo hotel where the entire delegation was billeted, to the mall tour and during lunch and dinner hostings arranged by the organizers of the town.

Outside of his celebrity status, there was a better reason for fans to cheer on Chris. The Rain or Shine rookie guard waxed hot in the final round of the three-point shootout,beating KG Canaleta of Air21, 21-18. It was the highest points scored in the three-point shootout contest since James Yap recorded the same score in winning in 2009.

Jonas Villanueva – Inactive from playing for over a month due to a knee injury, Villanueva was a long shot to retain his Obstacle Challenge crown, but his experience proved to be enough to overcome adversity as he ruled the event for the fourth straight time.

Arwind Santos and Jeff Chan – Both players had their moments of brilliance in the main game of the All-Star weekend. The 6-foot-4 Santos had the difficult task of matching up against taller, heftier counterparts from Gilas Pilipinas, but he was able to hold his own. He finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds for the PBA All-Stars. Chan, on the other hand, saved his best for last, sinking a game-tying triple with seven tenths of a second left to save the national pool team members from a humiliating loss.

PBA All-Stars and Gilas Pilipinas – For giving the viewing fans, both watching live or at home on television, a total treat by playing competitively in this annual spectacle, both teams deserved to be given commendation. Kudos to the players who played their hearts out just to give the fans a high-quality and competitive game while also providing entertainment in the course of the match.

Injured players James Yap, Mark Caguioa, Marcio Lassiter – There’s absolutely a lot of reasons why Yap and Caguioa are loved by fans.

Not even injury, sickness nor domestic problems could stop these superstars from joining the trip to Davao as they joined the PBA stars in promoting the All-Star festivities. The adoration went even wilder when the two decided to start out for the team coached by Luigi Trillo.

Lassiter, on the other hand, sustained his back injury, but he was gamely involved in the fun activities and captivated fans with his dance moves. On the court, Lassiter was all heart, playing his best to give the Gilas squad a good fight.

Marc Pingris – Pingris borrowed a side of entertainment from his wife, Danica Sotto, at least in the All-Star game sideshow. He led the Gilas squad when they made the opening dance to the beat of Cha Cha Dabarkads, drawing shrieks from the crowd that packed the Davao del Sur coliseum.

Clown Prince Willie Miller – Apart from his all-around skills inside the court, Willie Miller is known as a funny man. During the motorcade, Miller unraveled his potential doing hosting chores in one of the segments made by AKTV, poking fun on Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca, Joe Devance, Pamboy Raymundo, Ellis and Espiritu among others.

Players still active in the playoffs – It’s not easy to sacrifice playing in the All-Star game when your team is still in the hunt for the Commissioner’s Cup title. But Yap, Caguioa, Pingris, LA Tenorio, Ellis, Espiritu, PJ Simon, Devance, Josh Urbiztondo, Jvee Casio, Sonny Thoss, Cyrus Baguio and Calvin Abueva among others knew they have commitment to fans and they all have fun sharing a week of fun to the people of Davao and Digos City.

Misses

Jay Washington – Jay Washington was nowhere in sight during the All-Star festivities. The 6-foot-7 forward was chosen to play for the PBA stars in their game against Gilas. But a last-minute advisory to the PBA revealed that the Petron forward opted to go to the US for personal reasons.

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