PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – A perfect partnership between the PBA and event host NickelAsia, and the keen participation of the players led to the successful staging of the 26th PBA All-Star Week culminating in a night of fun, thrill and excitement at the City Coliseum here Sunday.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud called the event “a super success” while league board chairman Patrick Gregorio described it as “fantastic” as the PBA drew overflowing crowd on its All-Star Friday and All-Star Sunday games.
The PBA rocked this tourist city through its four-day visit that had the PBA stars also holding outreach programs, including hospital visit and tree-planting sessions to the enthusiastic response of the people of Palawan.
“I think it goes hand in hand. When the league is doing well, we get good partners. NickelAsia has been a fantastic partner. On its own that is a very strong company. But if you have a league that is as strong as the PBA today, you get partners like NickelAsia,” said Salud.
The league commissioner also lauded the players.
“I think the players clearly have shown today that they have realized, recognized, acknowledged their roles, their responsibility to the fans. They gave a show, not only in terms of basketball, but in terms of entertaining their fans,” Salud said.
“I’m so proud of our players because even the young ones have imbibed that mind-set of it’s all about the fans, that without the fans the PBA is nothing, the players are nothing, the teams are nothing,” Salud added.
The North team bested the South squad, 166-161, in the All-Star Game with Globalport sophomore guard Terrence Romeo winning the MVP trophy.
On Friday, Romeo also seized the spotlight in winning the Three-Point Shootout against a stellar cast that included past winners Mark Macapagal, James Yap, Chris Tiu and Jimmy Alapag.
Rey Guevarra became only the third PBA player to win the slam dunk competition in back-to-back fashion while Jeric Fortuna ruled the Obstacle Challenge.
NickelAsia’s JB Baylon said the NickelAsia people were thrilled with the success of the event, so much so that they’re looking to host another future PBA All-Star Game or a PBA out-of-town game.
“We also have a mining company in Surigao, and they want the people of Surigao to also enjoy the fun of the PBA All-Star Game,” said Baylon.
The PBA players, meanwhile, are now shifting their focus back to serious basketball after a weekend of sun, sand and sea in Puerto Princesa.
Most of the All-Stars were to rejoin their mother teams in practice yesterday afternoon, bracing for the resumption of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup tomorrow at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
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“We can’t afford to take it easy. We have a lot of catching up to do,” said North Stars coach Leo Austria, set to go straight to practice upon arrival in Manila.
“I’m sure all these guys have the same thing in mind as the Commissioner’s Cup enters the homestretch of the elims,” Austria also said.