STARS CONVERGE IN PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN

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Fever didn’t stop Asi Taulava from making the trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan Wednesday.

And June Mar Fajardo, nursing an ankle sprain, promised to do everything to also make it to this tourist haven before Sunday.

Taulava and Fajardo lead a slew of PBA stars gathering in this city by the sea, west of the country, bringing fun, cheers and excitement during the 2015 PBA All-Star Extravaganza.

Festivities hit fever pitch Friday and Sunday with the return of the Rookies versus Sophomores game, the staging of the skills challenges and the highlight All-Star Game.

The 26th PBA All-Star Game this Sunday at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum is one for the books considering, among others, Taulava’s record-setting 13th appearance, Jimmy Alapag’s formal retirement and stints of no less than eight All-Star MVPs in the contest.

It also marks the return of the badly missed North versus South format, making possible the rare moment where gentle giants Taulava, Fajardo and Greg Slaughter play together in one team.

Actually, they’re not just playing together but starting all together with James Yap and Mark Barroca for the South team of coach Alex Compton.

They will be up against Justin Melton, Marc Pingris, Calvin Abueva, Japeth Aguilar and Jayson Castro of the North team playing under coach Leo Austria.

Castro was adjudged as starter with Mark Caguioa hit by an injury. And also minus Caguioa, his Barangay Ginebra teammate LA Tenorio was tapped as a replacement.

Also scratched due to an injury is Dondon Hontiveros, but replacement is not needed since the South team has an extra player in Alapag.

The reserves are Arwind Santos, Paul Lee, Terrence Romeo, Ranidel de Ocampo, Beau Belga and Gabe Norwood for the North team and Jeff Chan, Cyrus Baguio, Reynel Hugnatan, Joe Devance, PJ Simon and Stanley Pringle for the South squad.

All-Star MVP winners in the list are Taulava, Alapag, Yap, Simon, Chan, Santos, Pingris and Norwood. Conspicuously missing is Gary David, the reigning MVP who didn’t get enough votes to make the event held in Puerto Princesa for the second time in six years.

In 2010, it was also a North-versus-South duel with the former, under coach Ryan Gregorio, prevailing, 133-130. Norwood went home with the MVP plum.

The PBA stars from Luzon repeated (133-129) in Boracay the following year before the league shifted to the Veterans-RSJs format in 2012 then staged the PBA stars versus Gilas Pilipinas in 2013 and 2014.

Also to be brought back in the 2015 All-Star spectacle is the Rookies-Sophomores Blitz Game, highlighting the All-Star Friday ushered in by the Skills Challenges.

Melton and Rey Guevarra, who shared the slam dunk title at the Mall of Asia Arena last year, banner an elite cast of ring-jammers including  Aguilar, Matt Ganuelas and JC Intal.

Barroca goes for a repeat in the Obstacle Challenge against former champ Jonas Villanueva and other aspirants Simon Atkins, LA Tenorio, LA Revilla, RR Garcia, Brian Heruela, Chris Banchero, Pringle, Barroca, Castro and Jeric Fortuna.

Macapagal shoots for an unprecedented sixth three-point shootout diadem against a stellar cast of challengers including Yap, Hontiveros, Tenorio, Santos, Alapag and Chris Tiu. (SB)

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