Ginebra center Slaughter leads PBA All-Star balloting

Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter (left). FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Ginebra’s towering center Greg Slaughter was well ahead in fan votes after the first return of the ballots for this year’s PBA All-Star Weekend, according to the league’s website.

The 7-foot rookie, who was the no. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, amassed 26,038 votes from fans, both from online and in-venue, for a huge lead over teammate Chris Ellis, who has 16,846 votes at second place.

PBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze is at the third spot for the centers and forwards after bagging 13,614 votes.

Rounding out the top ten for the frontcourt players are Alaska’s Calvin Abueva (11,526), Ginebra’s Mac Baracael (10,586), San Mig Coffee’s  Joe Devance  (10,444), and teammate Ian Sangalang (7,706), Alaska’s Sonny Thoss (6,858), Meralco’s Danny Ildefonso (5,972), and Talk N’ Text’s Nino Canaleta (5,224).

The Mixers’ star guard James Yap, meanwhile, is atop the list of guards with 14,994 votes. Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa trails slighty with 14,674.

Other backcourt players who were in the top ten were SMC’s Mark Barroca(13,454) and Peter June Simon (9,054), Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand (7,318), Alaska’s Cyrus Baguio (5,946), Petron’s Alex Cabagnot (5,550) and Marcio Lassiter (5,476), Globalport rookie Terrence Romeo (5,372), and JVee Casio (5,094).

Voting for the All-Star concludes on February 28 with the top three center/forwards and the top two guards selected to the starting unit of the PBA All-Stars.

They selection will figure against the FIBA World Cup-bound Smart Gilas Pilipinas in the game slated on April 6 at the Mall of Asia Arena, the highlight of the weekend.