PBA All-Star: Team Japeth has manpower woes for game, dance-off

The entire PBA delegation taking part in the All-Star Game in Bacolod pays mayor Albee Benitez a courtesy call even as commissioner Willie Marcial presides over the press launch. —PBA IMAGES

BACOLOD CITY—Imbalance is not the only thing that concerns Japeth Aguilar following the sudden pullout of main figures from the roster he assembled barely a month ago for the PBA All-Star Weekend here.

“I’m also worried about the dance-off,” Aguilar said in jest after the PBA contingent arrived on Thursday to begin drumming up interest for the exhibition classic.

“Almost all of the other dancers are with Mark [Barroca] like Jio [Jalalon] and Calvin [Abueva],” the Barangay Ginebra star continued in Filipino. “And if June Mar [Fajardo] shows off his dance moves, I don’t think we stand a chance.”

READ: Team Japeth, Team Barroca vow competitive PBA All-Star game

The dance-off is one of the featured attractions before the All-Star Game, the culminating event of the league’s midseason extravaganza. The team that usually wins the pregame contest will be given a cash prize of P150,000.

Aguilar said he has tapped a local choreographer in a bid to claim the six-figure purse, apart from the similar amount to be given to the All-Star winner.

But the withdrawals of Aguilar’s Ginebra teammates Scottie Thompson and Christian Standhardinger, who didn’t make the trip due to an illness, leaves Team Japeth at a disadvantage in terms of ceiling.

No one will fill the void left by Standhardinger, who Aguilar picked in the early rounds of the All-Star Draft held late-February at TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong City.

Injured stars

Thompson’s pullout due to a recurring back problem prompted the surprise addition of Magnolia’s Aris Dionisio, the least-likely inclusion given his role as a backup big man.

Team Japeth also saw TNT’s RR Pogoy replace the injured Phoenix shooter Tyler Tio.

“I’m not so sure what the make-up of our roster will be, but it seems that I’m the only big man,” Aguilar lamented, before joking: “I even asked Coach Jorge (Gallent, who calls the shot for Team Mark) if June Mar could sit out.”

READ: PBA All-Star June Mar Fajardo tests his mettle in 3-point shootout

Aguilar will leave it for Team Japeth coach Tim Cone to figure out how they can match up with the Barroca-captained Team Mark in the All-Star Game that will once again try to balance entertainment and competitiveness.

Both teams have vowed to perform as if the game, slated on Sunday at University of St. La Salle Coliseum, would count in the standings.

“It would be an interesting game on Sunday,” said Aguilar.

The PBA delegation arrived from Manila shortly before sunrise and went straight to the hotel for breakfast and a brief rest from the red-eye flight.

The group then went to the Bacolod City Government Center for lunch hosted by mayor Albee Benitez before the players were split into different establishments around the city for meet-and-greet sessions.