Doing it for the kids

Finally, there will only be one UAAP selection and NCAA All-Star Squad facing each other in the Bantay Bata 163 All-Star Game at the PhilSports Arena today.

In the past, each league put together two teams in a crossover clash that left bragging rights well, undecided. This time around, each league will also have a juniors game to use to prove who is the best, for this year, at least.

Each of the seven schools in the UAAP and each of the eight member institutions of the NCAA will be represented. The NCAA wil have Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Sam Ekwe of champion San Beda College starting at center, along with teammate Yousif Aljamal and Floyd Dedicatoria of Jose Rizal University at the forward spots, and guards Jayson Castro of Philippine Christian University and Khiel Misa of University of Perpetual Help. All are members of the Mythical Team except for Aljamal, who was sixth in the MVP race. There will be six Red Lions in the roster. If San Beda coach Koy Banal will be attending to his duties as assistant coach in the Purefoods Chunkee Giants’ game in Dumaguete today, he will most likely be replaced by coach Joel Dualan of the runner-up PCU Dolphins. In the juniors game, Ateneo coach Jamike Jarin is in the US, so filling his shoes will be coach Potit De Vera of the runner-up FEU Baby Tamaraws. NCAA champion juniors coach Raymond Valenzona of San Sebastian College will call the shots fro his side.

Of course, the NCAA will no longer be able to avail of the services of Mythical Team center Gabby Espinas of PCU, as he is already suiting up for the San Miguel Beermen, or Letran Knights Boyet Bautista and Aaron Aban, who have each seen brief action for the Alaska Aces and Purefoods Chunkee Giants, respectively. Bautista has been one of the reasons why the NCAA players have gotten the upper hand over their more popular UAAP counterparts the past couple of years.

The UAAP, meanwhile, will likely field a starting lineup of Most Valuable Player Ken Bono of Adamson University at center, JC Intal of the Ateneo de Manila and Jervy Cruz of champion University of Santo Tomas at the forward spots, and guards Marvin Cruz of University of the Philippines and Jeff Chan of Far Eastern University. Then again, coach Pido Jarencio may opt to keep Cruz on the bench and field Final MVP Jojo Duncil instead. He will have three Growling Tigers, three Blue Eagles and two Tamaraws at his disposal.  

The NCAA selection will have a slight height advantage at center, with the 6’8" Ekwe, 6’5" Jerby del Rosario of Mapua and 6’3" Hafer Mondragon manning the slot against the 6’4" Bono, 6’4" Doug Kramer of Ateneo and 6’4" Jervy Cruz as their counterparts. Outside shooting will be a very interesting duel with Ateneo’s Macky Escalona and Adamson’s Patrick Cabahug going up against Misa and San Beda’s Pong Escobal. The forward slot will showcase different looks for each team, with high flyers like JC Intal of Ateneo and Edwin Asoro of NU being challenged at both ends of the floor by Dedicatoria and the San Beda trio of Ogie Menor, Riego Gamalinda and Aljamal. The question for the UAAP is who will guard the jet-quick Jayson Castro? 

The slam dunk contest will also be a very exciting affair. 2005 champion Rey Guevarra of Letran will get a chance to take the measure of 2004 champion Intal of Ateneo. Expect UST’s finals revelation Dylan Ababou to try to crash the top two. There will also be a 2-3Ball contest, featuring one seniors player partnered with one juniors player from as many of the schools as possible.

The three-point shootout will also be a thriller, as the UAAP entries have posted phenomenal number this season. UP’s Marvin Curz lit it up with 46 percent from beyond the arc. He will be joined by Manrel Baraquel of FEU, Chris Tiu of Ateneo and Jessey Garcia of National University. Their opponents will be Khiel Misa and Fritz Bauzon of Perpetual Help, Alex Angeles of San Beda and Mark Cagoco of JRU.

Proceeds of the event will go to Bantay Bata 163, which rescues and helps underprivileged and abused children. In the past, participating players have visited the village in Bulacan specially built for these poor kids.

* * *

Catch this week’s episode of The Basketball Show tomorrow at 2 p.m. over RPN 9. The Basketball Show is brought to you by Teletech and Welcoat.