Allein Maliksi heads Big Guns in PBA All-Star

MANILA, Philippines — Titleholder Allein Maliksi and former champs Terrence Romeo and James Yap banner an elite cast of gunners vying in the three-point shootout while big men test their mettle in the obstacle challenge in the 2018 PBA All-Star festivities spread over five days in Davao del Sur, Batangas City and Iloilo next month.

Alaska Milk’s Jvee Casio, Ginebra’s LA Tenorio, GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle, Columbian Dyip’s Ronald Tubid, Meralco’s Garvo Lanete, NLEX’s Larry Fonacier, Phoenix’s Matthew Wright, Magnolia’s Paul Lee and San Miguel’s Marcio Lassiter are also entered in the shooting contest in this All-Star extravaganza presented by Phoenix Fuel with Phoenix Pulse Technology as major sponsor.

Meanwhile, former MVP winner Asi Taulava leads the frontline operators that will try to do the stuffs of backcourt players in the obstacle challenge.

Sonny Thoss, Raymond Aguilar, JP Erram, Kelly Nabong, Russell Escoto, Ken Bono, Doug Kramer, Aldrech Ramos, Beau Belga, Yancy de Ocampo and Yousef Taha are also in the list of participants in the event where they go through a course showing their dribbling, passing and shooting skills.

It’s an event dominated by the most skillful guards in the past. Multiple winners include Maverick Ahanmisi, Jonas Villanueva, Willie Miller and Rob Johnson.

Yet to be named are participants in the slam-dunk competition topped last year by Chris Newsome.

The All-Star skills competitions usher in the PBA Luzon Stars-Gilas Pilipinas tussle at the Batangas City Coliseum in Batangas on May 25.

The PBA Mindanao Stars tangle with Team Phl in Davao del Sur on May 23 while the Visayas Stars take their turn to challenge the Nationals on May 27 in Iloilo City.

Maliksi, emerging the shootout champ in his very first participation in the event last year, will now be trying to be the sixth PBA player to successfully defend the crown.

Romeo was on course to become the second PBA player to win the three-point shootout three in a row last year in Lucena but was foiled on his bid by Maliksi.