VISAYAS All-Stars played true to its billing as the favored team after smothering the shorthanded Smart Gilas All-Stars 157-141 in the Visayas leg of the 2018 PBA All-Star Week on Sunday night at the University of San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City.
Negrense Jeffrei Chan led Visayas with 29 points. Terrence Romeo added 27 markers while Ilonggo Jericho Cruz and Negrense James Yap had 20 and 17, respectively.
Ilonggo Kiefer Ravena was a late scratch for Visayas – minutes before the game Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas asked him to fly back to Manila for an “urgent matter” on Monday.
Gilas had a strong start behind Calvin Abueva and Roger Pogoy for a 29-20 lead. Visayas answered with shots from Chan to tie the scores 33-all before Gilas surged 36-33 with a Pogoy triple.
Both teams traded leads in the second period – scores tied again 69-all – before Visayas went on a run behind June Mar Fajardo, Chan, Ronald Tubid, and Cruz for an 80-73 halftime lead.
In the third period Gilas came close several times behind Jeth Troy Rosario but hits from Romeo, Fajardo, Cruz, and Asi Taulava raised Visayas’ lead 115-103 heading into the fourth.
Visayas continued to pull away in the fourth, building its largest lead 128-108 on back-to-back hits from Yap and Tubid. Gilas tried to rally back but could only come to as close as 15 points.
Abueva finished with double-double 41 points and 27 rebounds while Matthew Wright and Japeth Aguilar had 28 and 20 points, respectively, for Gilas.
Meanwhile, Ilonggo Emman Monfort along with Anton Ang and Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava ruled the Shooting Stars side event after finishing the course in 42 seconds.
The group of Cruz, Don Jeff Selguera and Ryan Sio placed second with 55 seconds while the trio of Tubid, Junjun Sia and Ryan Uy landed on third after failing to finish the event./PN
