ALL basketball roads lead to Bacolod City, the “City of Smiles” as the PBA All-Star Weekend 2024 gets underway on March 23-24.

To be held at the University of St.La Salle gymnasium, the two-day mid-season extravaganza will feature the best and the brightest players in Asia’s first play-for- pay league.

It will be Team Japeth Aguilar, headed by Aguilar and handled by Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone, against Team Marc Barroca, led by Barroca and San Miguel Beer mentor Jorge Gallent, in the All-Star Game on March 24.

Aguilar and Barroca became outright captains of the two All-Star teams after they received the most number of fan votes.

Team Japeth will parade Fil-German star Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Stanley Pringle, all of Ginebra; Paul Lee (Magnolia), Calvin Oftana (TNT), Chris Newsome (Meralco), Don Trollano (San Miguel), Marcio Lassiter (San Miguel), Arvin Tolentino (Northport), Terrence Romeo (San Miguel) and last-minute additions Roger Pogoy and Aris Dionisio of Magnolia.

Pogoy and Dionisio took the spots of the injuredTyler Tio and former MVP Scottie Thompson.

Team Barroca, on the other hand, will boast of seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo and three Magnolia players in Jio Jalalon, Ian Sangalang, and Calvin Abueva, along with Jason Perkins (Phoenix), CJ Perez (San Miguel), Robert Bolick (NLEX), James Yap (Blackwater), Jayson Castro (TNT), Gabe Norwood (Rain or Shine), Cliff Hodge (Meralco), Juami Tiongson (Terrafirma), Nards Pinto (Ginebra), and rookie Ricci Rivero (Phoenix).

Last year, Team Japeth defeated Team Scottie in a high-scoring game,140-136, in Passi, Iloilo.

In the Team Greats vs. Team Stalwarts, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of TNT and Kyt Jimenez of San Miguel Beer will lead the players in the event featuring rookie, sophomore, and junior players.

Ganuelas-Rosser went to Team Greats of Barangay Ginebra deputy Patrick Partosam while Jimenez went to Team Stalwarts of San Miguel assistant coach Peter Martin.

Joining Ganuelas-Rosser in Team Greats are Javi Gomez de Liano (Terrafirma), Kenneth Tuffin (Phoenix), Jerrick Ahanmisi (Magnolia), Justin Arana (Converge), Ralph Cu (Barangay Ginebra), Andrei Caracut (Rain or Shine), RK Ilagan (Blackwater), Alec Stockton (Converge), Gian Mamuyac (Rain or Shine), James Laput (Magnolia), and Shaun Ildefonso (Rain or Shine).

With Jimenez in Team Stalwarts are Stephen Holt (Terrafirma), Keith Datu (Rain or Shine), Fran Yu (Northport), John Amores (Northport), Adrian Nocum (Rain or Shine), Kim Aurin (TNT), JM Calma (Northport), Joshua Munzon (Northport), Anton Asistio (Rain or Shine), Santi Santillan (Rain or Shine), and Keith Zaldivar (Converge).

AUTHOR PROFILE

Robert Andaya