ALL-STAR BANGIN’ & SHAKIN’
Sunday’s PBA All-Star Game between the North and South All-Star teams will be physical but with a lot of highlights that promise to bring the house down.
Even though without the injured San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo and Alaska hotshot Dondon Hontveros, the South All Stars are out to give the North side a tough match-up according to NLEX center Asi Taulava at yesterday’s press conference.
“You want physical, we’ll give you what you want,” declared flu-stricken Taulava, after Mark Pingris assured a victory by his North All-Stars in the annual spectacle of Asia’s first play-for-pay league.
Taulava, who is making his record 13th All-Star Game, has been voted to start for the South All-Stars along with Greg Slaughter, James Yap, Mark Barroca and Fajardo, who has sent his apologies for skipping the gathering of the PBA’s crème of the crop.
Fajardo sprained his ankle in Tuesday’s game against Barako Bull.
Jeff Chan, Cyrus Baguio, Reynel Hugnatan, Joe De Vance, PJ Simon and Stan Pringle make up the reserve list of the South team.
“They (North team) are big but we got a lot of shooters. Our quickness should also make a difference,” observed coach Leo Austria of the North All-Stars.
Starting for the North side are Pingris, Justin Melton, Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva and Japeth Aguilar. The reserves are Arwind Santos, Paul Lee, Terrence Romeo, Ranidel De Ocampo, Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood and LA Tenorio.
Significanly, the 2015 PBA All-Star Week also will be the last for league commissioner Chito Salud who will be stepping down at the end of the 40th season.
“This is as sweet as the first,” Salud said when asked about his thought on his last All-Stars activity.
“I have a lot of memories during my stint with the league. But the one that I will take with me is the moment I have with the players during the league’s various outreach programs and knowing that the players have recognized their responsibility of playing their hearts out day in and day out to keep the fans happy,” Salud added.
Event organizer and NickelAsia vice-president for corporate affairs JB Baylon said admission cost is one plastic bottle per ticket.
Meanwhile, action in the 2015 All-Star Week gets going on Friday with staging of the Rookies vs. Sophomores Blitz Game and Skills Challenges.
Melton and Rey Guevarra, who shared the slam dunk honors last year will be up against other certified jammers that include Aguilar, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and JC Intal.
Barroca, on the other hand, will defend his Obstacle Challenge title against former champ Jonas Villanueva, Simon Atkins, LA Tenorio, LA Revilla, RR Garcia, Brian Heruela, Chris Banchero, Pringle, Barroca, Castro and Jeric Fortuna.
Mark Macapagal shoots for an unprecedented sixth three-point shootout diadem against a stellar cast of challengers including Yap, Tenorio, Santos and Alapag.
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