PBA All-Star Game on
First leg of the week-long event begins in Cagayan de Oro
THE FIRST of the three-leg road show of the 2017 All- Star Game of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) happens today at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro.
Designed to have more people enjoy the local pro league’s Mid- season Classic and the PBA’s way of aiding the Gilas Pilipinas national team in its preparation for the Southeast Asian Basketball Championships taking place here in May, the PBA had decided to make what in the past was a weekend of festivities to a week-long celebration with the league stars.
Things kick off in Cagayan de Oro where PBA stars hailing from Mindanao will go up against a pool of players from Gilas.
Making up the Mindanao selection are Troy Rosario and Mo Tautuaa of TNT KaTropa, Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, PJ Simon and Rafi Reavis of Star Hotshots, Scottie Thompson of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, Sonny Thoss of Alaska Aces, Carlo Lastimosa and Glenn Khobuntin of NLEX Road Warriors, Cyrus Baguio of Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters and Baser Amer of Meralco Bolts. Coaching the team is Star’s Chito Victolero.
Gilas, meanwhile, will be represented by pool members Terrence Romeo (GlobalPort Batang Pier) LA Revilla (Mahindra Floodbuster), Mike Tolomia (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters), RR Pogoy ( TNT), Matthew Wright (Phoenix), Kevin Ferrer (Barangay Ginebra), Carl Bryan Cruz (Alaska), Alfonso Gotladera and Bradwyn Guinto (NLEX) and June Mar Fajardo ( San Miguel Beermen).
Part of the CDO festivities is the Shooting Stars event that will see Messrs. Baguio, Khobuntin and Jalalon competing.
In a statement, PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa said the Cagayan de Oro leg is but fitting with the city being a “very generous host to the PBA in all its undertakings” and, thus, deserves nothing but the best of PBA fare.
Gates open for the Cagayan de Oro PBA All- Star Game at 4 p.m.
After the first leg, the AllStar Game moves to Lucena on Friday then to Cebu on Sunday.
SECOND FOR TENORIO
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra guard LA Tenorio earned his second PBA player of the week award after impressive performances last week.
The 32- year- old Tenorio averaged 17 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and two steals in helping his team beat NLEX, 101- 92, last Wednesday and TNT, 101-82, four days later.
The back- to- back wins towed the Kings to a 4-1 record in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup, good for solo third place. Barangay Ginebra is also one of the hottest teams in the league right now, having won four straight.