PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines—An entourage of three buses carried the country’s biggest basketball stars as it rolled through parts of Puerto Princesa City on a sunny Friday afternoon here.
Onlookers lined up on the streets amid the blistering heat and mobbed the buses carrying the PBA entourage, welcoming PBA stars like James Yap, Greg Slaughter, and Peter June Simon with their outstretched arms holding smartphones.
The young crowd at Palawan State University erupted in cheers at the mere sight of the two-time MVP and 12-time All-Star Yap, who was clearly the most popular player around.
The students, though, were left looking for this year’s top vote-getter in June Mar Fajardo, who has been ruled out of the festivities due to a sprained left ankle.
READ: Top vote-getter Fajardo ruled out of PBA All-Star Game
“Kuya, nasaan si June Mar? (Where is kuya June Mar?)” a group of students shouted as members of the PBA staff walked past them.
Fajardo, the reigning MVP, received 38,107 votes in this year’s ballot and was on his way to his first traditional All-Star Game before twisting his ankle in the first quarter of San Miguel Beer’s win over Barako Bull Tuesday night, just several hours before All-Star participants were set to leave for Palawan.
The players along with PBA commissioner Chito Salud, league chairman Patrick Gregorio also had a courtesy call on Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron before having lunch at the nearby Baker’s Hill.
Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron. Mark Giongco/INQUIRER.net
The All-Star side events kick off later starting with the Obstacle Challenge featuring some of the league’s best guards at 4 p.m. at the City Coliseum.
The Rookies vs Sophomores Game is set at 7 p.m. after the Three-Point shootout and Slam Dunk contest.
Meralco Bolts’ Mark Macapagal shoots for his fifth Three-Point shootout crown but is expected to have his hands full against a tough field led by one of the deadliest shooter in the league in Yap.
Purefoods’ Justin Melton and Meralco’s Rey Guevarra, who were co-winners of the aerial show last year held at the Mall of Asia Arena, are going to find themselves in a tight battle for the crown again after the field was reduced to five participants with the exclusion of Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, Ginebra’s Chris Ellis, NLEX’s KG Canaleta and Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood.
Abueva begged off due to a personal matter while Canaleta, Ellis and Norwood opted to pull out because of injuries leaving JC Intal, rookie Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Ginebra forward Japeth Aguilar to challenge Melton and Guevarra.
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