PASSI CITY - Team Scottie certainly got a huge break with June Mar Fajardo no longer in the lineup of Team Japeth for Sunday's PBA All-Star game.
But coach Yeng Guiao doesn't want his side to fall in a sense of complacency going into the league's first All-Star game in the last three years.
"We feel na merong slight advantage, but it's not just about June Mar. It's not just all about that match up. It's also about the rest kasi superstars naman lahat ang mga ito," said Guiao as he practiced with his team on Saturday led by captain Scottie Thompson at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
The game is set at 6 p.m. at the City of Passi Arena, with Team Japeth of coach Tim Cone missing the services of the 6-foot-11 Fajardo, taken no. 2 in the All-Star draft, who opted to skip the showcase after incurring a knee injury in San Miguel Beer's recent campaign in the East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions Week in Japan.
Taking the place of Fajardo is 6-foot-8 Raymond Almazan of Meralco.
Sponsored content: "That's still going to count as a big man," said Guiao of Almazan being inserted in the Team Japeth lineup along with last minute entries Arwind Santos, Jio Jalaon, and Alex Cabagnot.
"It makes our problem a little less of what we expected to encounter. But it's still not all about June Mar alone because the rest of the other guys can make a difference."
Along with Almazan, Santos, Cabagnot, and Jalalon, others in Team Japeth are Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Paul Lee, Jeremiah Gray, Gian Mamuyac, and Nards John Pinto.
"We have guys who can run and guys who can light it up from the three-point line," captain Japeth Aguilar stressed when asked how his team will compensate for the absence of Fajardo.
Meanwhile, composing Team Scottie are top All-Star pick Christian Standhardinger, CJ Perez, Calvin Abueva, Robert Bolick, Arvin Tolentino, Kevin Alas, Jayson Castro, Stanley Pringle, Marcio Lassiter, Mark Barroca, and two-time MVP James Yap.
Sponsored content: Guiao sees a competitive All-Star game whose format has been revised for this season.
"Tinanong ko siya (Scottie Thompson), sabi niya gusto nilang manalo. We want to organize something, but at the same time, gusto lang namin na ma-facilitate yung ball movement. But the rest of the time, it's really going to be about their individual talent and their desire to win," said Guiao.
The last time the PBA held the All-Star game was in Calasiao, Pangasinan in 2019, before it was shelved for the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (RG)
