North bests South in MPBL All-Star Game
THE North All-Stars bested their South counterparts, 95-91, late Saturday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season All-Star Game Presented BY SiKAT at the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
Will McAloney of Nueva Ecija paced the Northerners with 20 points plus 8 rebounds and was adjudged the MVP over Pampanga pillar Justine Baltazar, who posted 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Proving why he’s the league’s back-to-back 3-point king, Orlan Wamar of San Juan contributed 12 points, all from afar, 8 assists and 2 steals for the North coached by Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda.
The South All-Stars drew 12 points plus 4 rebounds from Cedrick Ablaza of Batangas, 11 points plus 10 rebounds from Davao and 11 points plus 3 assists from Jhon Jerrick Caspe of Mindoro.
Although the Northerners were taller with 7-footer Greg Slaughter, the 6-foot-8 Baltazar and the 6-7 Rabeh-Al Hussaini at the helm, they were outrebounded by the Southerners, 55-48.
The North, with Pampanga’s Archie Concepcio contributing 9 points, Nueva Ecija’s Robby Celiz and Hussaini 8 points each and Abra’s Roi Sumang 5 points, controlled the game for 28 minutes and led by as many as 14 points, 87-73, before cruising to victory.
The South, coached by Caloocan’s Alex Angeles, also got 8 points from Davao’s Mark Tallo, 7 points from Quezon’s LJ Gonzales and 6 points each from Quezon’s Ximone Sandagon, Binan’s Kenny Roger Rocacurva and South Cotabato’s Larry Rodriguez.
MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao powered the South past the North, 108-91, in the Executive All-Stars and earned MVP honors.
Pacquiao chalked 39 points, including 8 triples, 8 assists and 3 rebounds while Kaizer Galvez provided support with 34 points and 9 rebounds.
Wamar earlier notched 16 points to beat fellow San Juan star AC Soberano, who scored 14, and Sarangani’s Ryan Sula, who made 12, to retain the 3-point shootout crown.
In another side event, Pampanga’s Joe Gomez De Liano dethroned CJ Gania of Negros as slam dunk king.
Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes led the MPBL contingent in Zamboanga City with Executive Officer Joe Kamos, Operations Head Emmer Oreta and Security Chief Rudy Distrito.
The 2024 MPBL All-Stars extravaganza was supported by Kat Chua and her husband Joeben Tai of Quezon City TODA Aksyon.
The MPBL resumes its elimination round on Monday at the Quezon Convention Center with games pitting Pasay against Bicol at 4 p.m., Caloocan against Quezon City at 6 p.m., and Quezon against Davao at 8 p.m.
