Ilonggos out to outshine Smart

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Will it be a Terrence Romeo show all the way to the finale of the 2018 PBA All Stars here? Or will the proud sons of this province run the show for a memorable homecoming?

Focus is on Romeo and Ilonggos James Yap, Ronald Tubid, Jericho Cruz, Emman Monfort and Kiefer Ravena as Smart Team Phl squares off with the PBA Visayas All Stars at the close of the three-leg PBA All-Star series tonight at the San Agustin Gym.

Romeo, a part of winning team in the Legends Shootout in Digos City on Wednesday and the MVP winner with his record 48-point game in Batangas on Friday, hopes to churn out another performance to remember in the 6:30 p.m. setto here.

The former FEU hotshot has a shot at matching Matthew Wright’s back-to-back MVP feat last year and Vergel Meneses’ record career haul of four MVP All-Star plums.

With his 48-point explosion Friday that shattered the 44-point outings of Yap and Dylan Ababou in Laoag in 2012, Romeo emerged the hands-down choice as the best among the best for the third time following earlier MVP citations in 2015 in Puerto Princesa and last year in Lapu-Lapu City.

Meneses won his four All-Star MVP awards in 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2003.

But no less than five Ilonggos are determined to come out and make their rare homecoming worthwhile.

“This is my first game in Iloilo since my last playing year here in 2000. And so I’m so excited,” said Yap, actually an Escalante, Negros Occidental native who considers Iloilo his second home since he played high school ball with Hua Siong College of Iloilo.

“I was 11 when the previous PBA All Stars was played here in 2000 and I was inspired. Hopefully, this PBA All Stars also serves as inspiration to the Iloilo youth,” said Monfort.

“I’ve played in Iloilo as a PBA player just once in my rookie year with Shell in 2003. I’m looking forward to a memorable moment in this homecoming of mine,” said Tubid.

Jeff Chan, June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter, JR Quiñahan, Chris Ross and Asi Taulava complete the Visayas All-Star team to be handled by coach Chito Victolero.

Meanwhile, donning the Smart All-Star jersey with Romeo are Mac Belo, Japeth Aguilar, Troy Rosario, Carl Bryan Cruz, Gabe Norwood, Matthew Wright, Allein Malicsi, RR Pogoy, Jio Jalalon, Jason Castro and Calvin Abueva under coach Nash Racela.

The Smart All Stars split their first two games, falling in a 130-144 upset by the Mindanao All Stars on Wednesday in Digos before bouncing back with a 152-149 triumph over the Luzon selection Friday in Batangas largely behind Romeo’s super MVP performance.

Romeo scored 26 points in the first half when the Nationals zoomed to their biggest lead of 20 points.

The Luzon All Stars, however, made a frenetic chase at the finish and could have tied the game if not for LA Tenorio’s missed three-pointer at the buzzer.

Thus, Romeo preserved his big explosion that went with 11 assists and six rebounds.

Jalalon contributed a triple-double game with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while Fajardo, Rosario and Pogoy piled up 30, 20 and 17 points, respectively.

Japeth Aguilar and Arwind Santos led the losing team with 43 and 32, respectively.