Rey Guevarra cruises to record-tying 5th PBA Slam Dunk title

MANILA, Philippines—It seems almost a formality but Rey Guevarra still had to compete to earn his fifth Slam Dunk Contest championship in the Skills Challenge of the 2019 PBA All-Star Weekend Friday in Calasiao.

Phoenix’ high-flyer had a perfect 100-point run across two dunks in the finals where he beat Blackwater’s Renz Palma and Columbian rookie CJ Perez.

Guevarra’s first attempt in the final round was a front windmill slam off a self alley-oop pass from the left wing that gave him a 50, tying Palma’s impressive one-hander wherein he jumped above six crouching players in the paint.

Perez, who dunked just once in the final round, scored just 42 in his lone attempt on a simple one-handed pounder off a self alley-oop pass after he missed his first attempt on a reverse dunk effectively eliminating him from the competition.

Palma’s second attempt in the final round had Beau Belga pass him the ball from the stands but all his attempts blanked as time ran out with the Elite forward settling for the minimum of 30 points.

Guevarra punctuated his night with a dunk that sided more on the theatrics side rather than the athletic one.

With all of the Fuel Masters on the floor, Guevarra pounded a simple one-hander off of a two-legged jump while the rest of his teammates jumped in unison to his dunk.

Guevarra was nursing a groin injury a week prior to the Slam Dunk Contest and this forced him to change his dunking style.

“I usually jump off of one leg for my dunks so I had to come up with different ones wherein I will jump off two,” said Guevarra.

With his fifth title in his hands, Guevarra tied Niño Canaleta for the most championships in the exhibition.