Big men vie in shooting contest
The Philippine Basketball Association All-Star weekend won’t be having its traditional slam dunk contest but will offer a new side event in the Skills Challenge on 23 March in Bacolod City. A three-point shootout featuring the big men of the league will be held to replace the dunk contest, a regular staple in the mid-season classic since 1992.
But the Obstacle Challenge and the three-point shootout among the guards are still to be played, with Dave Marcelo and Paul Lee coming back to defend their respective titles. Among the bigs seeing action in the long-distance shootout are Jason Perkins of Phoenix, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of TNT Tropang Giga, Aris Dionisio of Magnolia, Sean Anthony of NLEX, JM Calma of Northport, Mo Tautuaa of San Miguel Beer, Isaac Go of Terrafirma, Keith Zaldivar of Converge, and rookies Ralph Cu of Barangay Ginebra, Christian David of Blackwater, Brandon Bates of Meralco and Keith Datu of Rain or Shine.
Meanwhile, crowding out Lee in his bid for a back-to-back are Maverick Ahanmisi of Rain or Shine, Alex Stockton of Converge, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Robbie Herndon of NLEX, Arvin Tolentino of Northport, Tyler Tio of Phoenix, Andrei Caracut of Rain or Shine, Marcio Lassiter of San Miguel, Javi Gomez de Liaño of Terrafirma, Calvin Oftana of TNT and James Yap of Blackwater.
Outside of Lee, Yap is the only other champion of the event, which he won twice in 2009 and 2018, respectively.
Marcelo will get stiff challenge in the Obstacle Challenge from Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra, Justin Araña of Converge, James Laput of Magnolia, Calma of Northport, Perkins, Tautuaa, Go, Ganuelas-Rosser and freshmen Clifford Jopia, Bates and Datu.