Makahulugang All-Star Game kina Asi, Tim

MANILA, Philippines – Kung may dalawa mang basketball personali­ties na nanamnamin ang 2010 PBA All-Star Game, ito ay sina Asi Taulava ng Coca-Cola at coach Tim Cone ng Alaska.

May pinagsamang 20 All-Star Game appearances ang 6-foot-9 na si Taulava at ang Grand Slam mentor na si Cone.

Maglalaro si Taulava, tinanghal na All-Star Most Valuable Player noong 2004 at 2006, sa kanyang pang 12th All-Star Game, samantalang ito naman ang pang walong pagkakataon na maggigiya si Cone ng isang All-Star team.

“Fans, this All-Star is for you, so sit back and relax. We’re going to give you a treat this weekend,” ani Taulava.

Nakatakdang magsa­gupa ang South squad ni Cone at ang North team ni Ryan Gregorio nga­yong alas-7:30 ng gabi sa Puerto Princesa Coliseum sa Palawan.

Ang mga kasama ni Taulava sa South ay sina Kelly Williams, Eric Menk, James Yap, Cyrus Baguio, Jimmy Alapag, Joe Devance, Roger Yap, Dondon Hontiveros, Sonny Thoss, Ronald Tubid at Reynel Hugnatan.

Nasa North naman si­na Willie Miller, Jayjay Helterbrand, JC Intal, Gabe Norwood, Sol Mercado, Paul Artadi, Rico Maierhofer, Ranidel De Ocampo, Mark Cardona, Arwind Santos at Ryan Reyes.

Tangan ni Cone ang 4-3 All-Star card at 1-3 para sa South.

“The All-Star Game is about seeing Kelly Williams or Gabe Norwood getting up high and slam the ball or watching Jimmy Alapag making fancy passes or James Yap knocking down treys,” wika ni Cone.

“That’s the real concept of the All-Stars, you let the star players do their thing inside the court and coaches are just there to supervise who’s going inside and who’ll be taken out,” dagdag pa nito.

Unang hinawakan ni Cone ang South noong 1992 kung saan niya tinalo ang North ni Robert Jaworski na nagtampok kina Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, Benjie Paras at Jerry Codinera.

Si Alvin Teng ng South ang tinanghal na All-Star MVP.

Aminado naman si Gre­gorio na maliit ang kan­yang North kumpara sa South ni Cone.

“This is a game between height and heft versus speed and quickness,” wika ni Gregorio. “They’ve got a lot of big men and we have a lot of guards.”