PBA All-Star sidelights: Almazan, Arayi shine; Cruz rules 'Shooting Stars'

MANILA, Philippines – Longtime national team mainstays Analyn Almazan and Ewon Arayi led their team to victory in a women’s basketball special 20-minute game while Rain or Shine guard Jericho Cruz triumphed with his group in the Shooting Stars side event in the final night of the 2016 PBA All-Star Weekend at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

On Saturday night, the PBA top honchos put on display their hard court skills, reasserting their mastery of the PBA scribes, 113-94, in their annual side showdown in the PBA All-Star festivities.

Almazan scored a game-high 14 points while Arayi produced 13 markers, seven boards, three assists and two steals against two errors as Team A prevailed over Team B, 43-35, in an exhibition full-court match among regulars in the women’s 3-on-3 basketball.

 Also playing for the winning team, under coach Raymond Celis, were Cecile Junsay, Camille Ramos, Jacquelyn Suarez, Monika Reyes, May Confesor, Alyssa Vega, Norlyn Japitana and Jhustine Rala.

Beaten were coach Mike Buendia and his team composed of Chovi Borja, Regina dela Merced, Francine Geli, Frances Galang, Micah Torres, Macelie Abaca, Rubelyn Mendoza, Sarah Mercado, Ayra Hufanda and Jelline Batnag.

Earlier, Cruz knocked down a shot from the half court line with 48 seconds to go as his team beat out the teams of Terrence Romeo and Scottie Thompson in the Shooting Stars. A part of the winning team were women’s basketball ace Tanya dela Merced, Batang PBA player Stacey Tibayan and a lucky fun.

Meanwhile, Globalport owner Mikee Romero, a former La Salle Archer and now member of the House of Representatives, continued to be the lead force of Team PBA in the event they love to call “the Other All-Star Game” or the “Old-Star Game, pouring in 30 points despite a slight hamstring injury.

SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, a former UST Tiger, and PBA board vice chairman Erick Arejola, another former La Salle Archer, churned out solid all-around numbers as Team PBA stretched its domination of the PBA scribes dating back to their inaugural match in Palawan in 2010.

NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre and TNT assistant team manager Magnum Membrere had solid debuts with Team PBA while Star governor Rene Pardo remained a solid contributor off the bench, firing three three-pointers and a twinner.

Commissioner Chito Narvasa ably tended their backcourt, showing flashes of his brilliance during his Ateneo Eagles days.

They missed out Presidential Assistant Christopher “Bong” Go who injured his shooting hand in practice.

With tremendous boost from debuting players Cedelf Tupaz and Jerome Lagunsad and old mainstay Nelson Beltran, the Scribes set the pace in the first quarter and fought the PBA officials in a toe-to-toe battle through the next to periods.

Team PBA pulled away in the fourth as the inroads of fatigue took its toll on the eight-man Scribes.

Chua and Arejola fired 18 points each while Membrere and Pardo chipped in 12 and 11, respectively for Team PBA handled by PBA media chief Willie Marcial.

Tupas top scored for the Scribes with 27, with Beltran and Arloune Miguel contributing 17 points apiece.

The scores:

PBA Old-Stars

PBA board 113 – Romero 30, Chua 18, Arejola 18, Membrere 12, Pardo 11, Dulatre 9, Sy 6, Cabarles 4, Villavicencio 3, Narvasa 2.

PBA Press Corps 94 – Tupas 27, Beltran 17, Miguel 17, Lagunsad 15, Terrado 8, Mangonon 6, Galvez 2, Leongson 2.

Quarterscores: 28-29, 53-49, 84-72, 113-94