Casio, Santos lead PBA All-Star voting

CEBU, Philippines - Top rookie pick JV Casio and Petron star big man Arwind Santos show the way in the voting for starters in this year’s Rookies/Sophomores/Juniors-Veterans game of the PBA All-Star Weekend in Laoag City.

Casio, the hot-shooting playmaker of Powerade, had the most number of votes so far among the RSJ with 30,544 to pace four other guards, which also included no. 2 overall pick Paul Lee of Rain or Shine (29,763) and B-Meg’s Mark Barroca (20,067).

Santos on the other hand, received 28,821 votes from the fans to pace the Veterans big men, way ahead of B-Meg’s Marc Pingris (22,771) and Kerby Raymundo of Ginebra (17,621).

Fans still have one week to vote to determine the three frontliners and two guards that will start for both teams in the May 10-13 mid-season classic.

Last day of voting is on March 28.

Powerade coach Bo Perasol will call the shots for RSJ, while Chot Reyes handles the Veterans. The two coaches earned the right to handle the two squads for steering the Tigers and Tropang Texters to the Finals of the Philippine Cup.

Petron’s Chris Lutz, the no. 3 pick behind Casio and Lee, leads the RSJ center/forwards in voting with 29,018, followed by Marcio Lassiter of Powerade (27,347), Japeth Aguilar of Talk `N Text (23,418), and Ginebra’s Dylan Ababou (23,021).

All four incidentally, are former teammates with the Smart Gilas-Pilipinas team.

Meanwhile, consistent fan favorite James Yap of B-Meg and Mark Caguioa of Ginebra are on top among veteran guards. Yap accumulated 23,430 votes, while Caguioa is next with 18, 635.

Running third behind the team is Powerade gunner Gary David (14,293).

Others getting the fans nod are Alaska forward Marnel Baracael (14,752) and guards Rob Labagala (9,479) and John Wilson (9,002).

For the Veterans, in contention for a starting job are forwards JC Intal of Ginebra (17, 614) and Petron’s Dondon Hontiveros (15,753), along with playmakers Jayjay Helterbrand of Ginebra (13,287), and reigning league MVP Jimmy Alapag of Talk `N Text (12,728).

Coaches of the league's eight other teams will fill the seven vacant spots of the two teams while Reyes and Perasol are confined to picking the seven other players for their respective rosters. —(FREEMAN)