The 2017 PBA All-Star festivities get underway Tuesday with the PBA stars mingling with the Cagayan de Oro fans in a meet-and-greet session at the Centrio Mall on the eve of the All-Star Game at the Xavier University Gym.
The PBA delegation arrives in the Misamis Oriental capital city via two morning PAL flights and starts their activities with a courtesy call on Mayor Oscar Moreno before lunch.
All-Star coach Chito Victolero holds a basketball clinic to usher in activities sponsored by HMR Trading, Mueller, Peak, Crystal Clear, Anako, Davco, Smart, Cloudfone and Petron on Wednesday highlighted by the All-Star Game pitting the PBA Mindanao All-Stars versus Gilas Pilipinas.
Curtain-raiser on festivities at the Xavier University Gym is the Shooting Stars event to be participated in by Mindanaoan players Cyrus Baguio, Glenn Khobuntin and Jio Jalalon.
Baguio, Khobuntin and Jalalon later lead the Mindanao selection that includes Troy Rosario, Mark Barroca, Scottie Thompson, PJ Simon, Rafi Reavis, Mo Tautuaa, Sonny Thoss, Carlo Lastimosa and Baser Amer as they test the mettle of the Gilas team that is in the thick of preparation for the coming SEABA Championship.
Sponsored content:
Making the Gilas team in the Cagayan de Oro tiff are Terrence Romeo, LA Revilla, Mike Tolomia, RR Pogoy, Matthew Wright, Kevin Ferrer, Carl Bryan Cruz, Alfonso Gotladera, Bradwyn Guinto and June Mar Fajardo.
“I’m happy and excited that we are holding the first leg of the PBA All-Star Week here in Cagayan de Oro. The people of CdO have been very generous host to the PBA in all its undertaking. They deserve nothing but the best and I'm sure they will have a wonderful time watching the pride of Mindanao battle against Gilas Pilipinas,” said PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa.
Two other PBA select teams tangle with the Gilas training team in Lucena on Friday and in Cebu on Sunday.
In Lucena, Wright, Guinto, Cruz, Ferrer, Tolomia, Arnold Van Opstal, Ed Daquiaog, Almond Vosotros, Jonathan Grey, Raymond Almazan, Norbert Torres and Allein Maliksi don the Gilas jersey going up against Luzon stars Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, Alex Cabagnot, LA Tenorio, Marcio Lassiter, Stanley Pringle, Jayson Castro, Jay Washington, Paul Lee, Mark Caguioa, Arwind Santos and Ranidel de Ocampo under coach Leo Austria.
In Cebu, Castro, Jalalon, Aguilar, Rosario, Abueva, Revilla, Pogoy, Maliksi, Pessumal and Almazan make the Gilas team facing Visayan stars Fajardo, Romeo, Joe Devance, Jeff Chan, James Yap, Chris Ross, Chris Ellis, Aldrech Ramos, Dondon Hontiveros, Ronald Tubid, Asi Taulava and Jericho Cruz under coach Tim Cone.
Sponsored content:
The Gilas Final 12 will be announced by national coach Chot Reyes after the Lucena match.
The 2017 PBA All-Star Spectacle has become more meaningful with its novel format aimed at helping the national team in its buildup for the FIBA Asia sub-zonal tourney that serves as the regional qualifier for the FIBA Asia Cup later in the year.
Cone and Austria, both veteran All-Star coaches, said they’re definitely taking this event a lot more seriously than before to help push Gilas in its training.
Tickets are available at the following outlets: (Cagayan de Oro) – Buffalo Resto and Grill, JR Clad Ent., DBA Traders, Xu Athletic Office and Golden Blind Masseur. (Lucena) – Quezon Provincial Sports Office, look for Jonas Guiao (Cebu City) – Unit 301 WDC Bldg., Osmena Blvd. Patricia Dormitory Extension, Sto. Nino, Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City Hall (entrance).
