8 MVPs, 4 legends start in North-South showdown

Novel PBA All-Star up in Calasiao     

CALASIAO, Philippines — Eight All-Star MVP winners banner the All-Star cast souped up by four league legends as the Philippine Basketball Association brings back the North-versus-South format to celebrate the 30th edition of the PBA All-Star Game at the Calasiao Sports Center here tonight.

It’s a novel North-South duel featuring the special appearance of legends Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera, Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc who were in the Rookies/Sophomores team that battled the Veterans squad in the classic 1989 match.

A winning play by Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez lifted the veterans to a 132-130 win in that unforgettable match. And the PBA midseason spectacle was institutionalized right there and then at the Ultra (now the PhilSports Arena) in Pasig.

Three decades later, the league brings an All-Star that could well evoke memories of the past All Stars.

Game time is at 6:45 p.m. in the event where the league’s stars once again fight for regional pride, prestige and bragging rights.

Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Gabe Norwood and Troy Rosario are All-Star MVP winners leading the North All-Star cast under coach Louie Alas while James Yap, Terrence Romeo, Baser Amer and Asi Taulava are MVPs bannering the South roster of coach Caloy Garcia.

The South team (composed of the PBA stars from the Visayas and Mindanao) beat the North (from Luzon), 108-105, in the initial staging of the regional format in 1992 at the Ultra with Alvin Teng winning the MVP honors.

But the North has since won eight of the next 11 North-South games.

“The All-Star is first and foremost for the fans. We’ll try to bring an entertaining show for them. But in the end, it would be a battle,” said June Mar Fajardo, the league’s most dominant player at the moment who will try to show his stuff  with the South team.

The opposing coaches say they would let the players dictate the flow of the game.

“Kailangan mag-enjoy ang mga fans. So we would let the players play their game,” said Alas.

The South team last won in 2008 in Bacolod where PJ Simon bagged the MVP honors. It should have been a draw but the Negrense crowd prevailed upon the two teams to play an overtime battle won by the Southerners at 163-158.

Simon is to play his eighth All-Star Game and will be among the reserves in the South squad with a starting cast in Fajardo, James Yap, Greg Slaughter, Scottie Thompson and Mark Barroca.

Others who will come off the bench for the South team are Romeo, Taulava, Amer, RR Pogoy, Chris Ross, Jio Jalalon, JP Erram, Mac Belo, Codiñera and Patrimonio.

For the North, the starters are Calvin Abueva, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Paul Lee and Marcio Lassiter while the reserves are Cabagnot, Santos, Norwood, Rosario, Jason Perkins, Stanley Pringle, Jayson Castro, Chris Banchero, Mark Caguioa, Magsanoc and Paras.

Marc Pingris, a proud son of the province, was voted to play for the North team although he can’t play because of an injury.

Joe Devance, meanwhile, gained the nod of the coaches to make the South lineup. His injury allowed the entry of Taulava as a replacement. Thus the Fil-Tongan behemoth is to stretch his record All-Star appearances to 17.

Yap is next as a 16-time All-Star, all as a starter.