Top coaches go up vs Gilas

MANILA, Philippines - Coaches Leo Austria, Tim Cone and Chito Victolero are tapped to handle the three PBA selections going up against coach Chot Reyes and Gilas Pilipinas in the 2017 PBA All-Star festivities, featuring games in Cagayan de Oro, Lucena and Cebu late next month.

Victolero calls the shots for the PBA Mindanao selection in Cagayan de Oro on April 26, Austria holds the rein of  the Luzon squad in the Lucena game on April 28 while Cone will handle the Visayan All Stars in the Cebu match on April 30.

The three earned the honors to be this year’s PBA All-Star coaches for steering their respective PBA teams to top three finishes in the recently concluded Philippine Cup.

Cone is a record holder as an eight-time PBA All-Star coach, ahead of Robert Jaworski and Derrick Pumaren who had five appearances each in the annual mid-season classic.

Austria is an All-Star coach for the third straight year while Victolero is making his debut in the keenly awaited event.

Austria will likely have at his disposal 2016 All-Star MVP Alex Cabagnot, Japeth Aguilar, Terrence Romeo, Marc Pingris, Calvin Abueva, Mark Caguioa, Jayson Castro, Paul Lee and Arwind Santos.

The Visayan squad could be bannered by June Mar Fajardo, James Yap, Jeff Chan, JR Quiñahan, Asi Taulava and Joe Devance.

Mac Belo, Carlo Lastimosa, Mike Tolomia, Scottie Thompson, Jio Jalalon, PJ Simon, Mark Barroca and RR Garcia are among the finest talents from Mindanao. But as they lack big men, the Mindanaoans will be reinforced by frontcourt players from outside the region.

In the current Gilas pool are Fajardo, Aguilar, Lee, Castro, Abueva, Romeo, Belo, Jalalon, Tolomia, Troy Rosario, Raymond Almazan, Art dela Cruz, Bradwyn Guinto, LA Revilla, Norbert Torres, Jonathan Grey, Matthew Wright, Ed Daquiaog, Roger Pogoy, Carl Bryan Cruz, Kevin Ferrer, Russel Escoto, Arnold Van Opstal, Von Pessumal and Al Gotladera.

However, Reyes may have named his Final 15 by that time.

In the case of a Gilas player tapped in any of the PBA All-Star teams, the player will suit for his regional team in its home game and for Gilas in the two other All-Star legs.

Thus, Fajardo, the most dominant PBA player now, plays for the Visayan All Stars in Cebu but with Gilas in Cagayan de Oro and in Lucena.

The skills competitions, including the three-point shootout and the dunk contest, will be featured in Lucena.

Meanwhile, various outreach programs are set in Cagayan de Oro and in Cebu.

The North All-Stars bested their Southern counterparts in the last two editions of the spectacle.

Gilas Pilipinas triumphed over the PBA All-Stars, 101-93, in its last appearance in the All-Star event.