TONIGHT will not be the first time that the University of San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City will host the PBA All-Star Games. The league has held this annual event in the same venue 18 years ago.
The first PBA All-Stars in Iloilo City on Aug. 13, 2000 was a historic one – it was the first time the league held the event out of town.
Aside from the PBA All-Star Games – which used the Veterans vs Rookie-Sophomore-Juniors format – there were also four side events: Slam Dunk Competition, Buzzer Beater Event, Three-Point Shootout, and Two-Ball Competition.
Mobiline Phone Pals’ Celedon Camaso ruled the Slam Dunk Competition over Indian R.S. Robinson 45-43 while Barangay Ginebra’s Edward Naron edged Phone Pals’ Patrick Fran and Purefoods’ Jessie Cabanayan in the Buzzer Beater Event.
Teodorico Fernandez of Purefoods was the Three-Point Shootout winner, beating Taiwan’s Lo Shin Liang 21-19, while Phone Pals pair Victor Pablo and Gherome Ejercito edged Purefoods’ Rey Evangelista and Rommel Daep in the Two-Ball Competition 64-39.
In the main event, the Veterans team – led by Vergel Meneses, Marlou Aquino, Kenneth Duremdes, and Rodericko “Olsen” Racela – scored a 93-78 victory over the Rookie-Sophomore-Juniors team.
Aside from Meneses (Ginebra), Aquino (Sta.Lucia), Duremdes (Alaska), and Racela (San Miguel), also part of the Alfranchis Chua-mentored team were Jeffrey Cariaso (Tanduay), Benjie Paras (Shell), Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods), and Rodney Santos (Alaska).
In the Rookie-Sophomore-Juniors team were Ejercito, Davonn Harp (Red Bull), Rudy Hatfield (Tanduay), Dondon Hontiveros (Tanduay), Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel), Eric Menk (Tanduay), Ali Peek (Sunkist), Mark Telan (Shell), and Jimwell Torion (Red Bull).
It was a tightly contested match, with the Rookie-Sophomore-Junior going slightly ahead until the Veterans banked on Meneses, Aquino, Duremdes, and Racela for a backbreaking 25-0 scoring run to turn things around.
Tonight’s PBA All-Stars exhibition game will surely be as entertaining as the one 18 years ago, with the league’s greats getting up close with the legion of Ilonggo basketball fans.
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Before the Iloilo City leg tonight, the All-Star Games had also been held in Bacolod City and Victorias City in Negros Occidental and in Boracay Island, Aklan province.
In 2008, a three-day event was held at the West Negros University in Bacolod City, which culminated with the South All-Stars defeating North All-Stars 163-158 and with Peter June Simon named the All-Stars MVP.
A year later, PBA returned to Western Visayas – this time at the Victorias City Sports and Recreation Arena – where Powerade-Team Pilipinas beat North-All Stars 98-80, with Michael Pennisi named the MVP.
In 2011, PBA went to the Boracay Convention Center in a six-day event that was capped with North All-Stars’ 133-129 win over South All-Stars. Marc Pingris was named MVP./PN
