Stars descend on Bacolod for PBA bash

A total of 49 stars and a 200-man delegation from Philippine Basketball Association leaves for Bacolod today where the pro league stages the 2008 All-Star spectacle beginning tomorrow in the Negros Occidental capital city.

It’s an All-Star Extravaganza like no other as it is staged in connection with the province’s famed Panaad Festival.

All-Star actions won’t begin until tomorrow at the West Negros gym but players will interact with Negros fans right upon their arrival in the “City of Smiles” today.

Players seeing action in the skills competitions and Rookies versus Sophomores Blitz Game take the Cebu Pacific 4:40 a.m. flight while the main bulk of the delegation, led by league commissioner Sonny Barrios and the All-Star players, departs Manila at 8:25 a.m.

The third and last batch leaves for Bacolod at 4:30 p.m.

The PBA stars go on a campus, radio and mall tour with stops at La Salle, West Negros U, Yes FM, Campus Radio, Robinson’s and Gaisano Mall, ushering in the All-Star Week to be highlighted by the All-Star Game on Sunday.

Sponsored by Pigrolac, Mighty Bond, Coke and Yakult and backed by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the festivities officially commence with the staging of the skills events and the Rookies-Sophomores duel tomorrow.

The All-Star Friday will be aired on ABC-5 at 7 p.m. while the All-Star Sunday will be telecast starting 4:30 p.m.

KG Canaleta, already a record holder with three straight slam dunk titles, looks to stretch his reign against a formidable field including former champion Joey Mente and Sta. Lucia aerial artist Kelly Williams.

Dondon Hontiveros is defending the three-point shootout crown against challengers Willie Miller, Renren Ritualo, James Yap, Junthy Valenzuela, John Arigo, Mike Hrabak, Bitoy Omolon, Joe Devance and Canaleta. The top three in this event team up versus a trio of retired stars in the Legends Shootout on Sunday.

“It’s going to be a busy weekend for the players and the PBA in general, but this is a commitment we are doing for the basketball fans and the friendly people of Bacolod City,” said Barrios, overseeing his first All-Star as league commissioner.

The Friday itinerary will also have the PBA stars gracing the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Jam Ball at the Gaisano Mall, visit the Bacolod Boys’ Home for an outreach program then pay Leonardia and other city officials a courtesy call.

On Saturday, members of both the North and Star teams will attend basketball clinics for kids at Bay Center and for coaches at the West Negros gym. Coach Norman Black handles the clinic for the kids while Sta. Lucia’s Boyet Fernandez and Purefoods’ Ryan Gregorio run the clinic for the coaches. Technical officials Romy Guevarra and Ramil Cruz have their own three-day referees’ basketball clinic also at the WNU gym.

An autograph signing for the fans at the Panaad stadium, an outreach activity at Gawad Kalinga and the PBA Kalinga sa Kalikasan Party cap the third day of the annual festivities.

On Sunday, the Rookies, Sophomores and skills players lead the coastal clean up at Pahanocoy before everyone proceed back to the WNU gym for the staging of the All-Star Game.

Purefoods top gun James Yap, from the nearby Escalante town, heads the South All-Stars looking to avenge their 142-145 loss to the North team last year in Baguio. Joining Yap in the team are Asi Taulava, Danny

Seigle, Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, Cyrus Baguio, John Ferriols, Dondon Hontiveros, Reynel Hugnatan, Peter June Simon, Sonny Thoss and Junthy Valenzuela.

Willie Miller and Jayjay Helterbrand, the co-MVP winners in the Baguio game, are back to lead the North team including Mark Caguioa, Mark Pingris, Lordy

Tugade, Kerby Raymundo, Nic Belasco, Mac Cardona, Ranidel de Ocampo, Arwind Santos, Rico Villanueva and

rookie Ryan Reyes.