BATANGAS — The veterans still got it.
Longtime PBA cagers James Yap, Beau Belga, Rey Guevarra reigned in the Three-Point Shootout, Dunk Contest and Obstacle Challenge, respectively, to get the second leg of the Philippine Basketball Association’s mid-season festivities going at the Batangas City Sports Center on Friday night.
Yap recaptured the crown he last held in 2009 after draining 24 points at the expense of former 3-point king Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle in the final round.
Final Round • Yap with :two::four:! #PBAAllStar18onPhilStar pic.twitter.com/mZaQEAsQIr
— Denison Rey Dalupang (@sonrd) May 25, 2018
“Well, puwede pa rin pala,” Yap said of winning the plum. "Ganoon naman talaga, kumbaga everyday sa practice nagi-extra shooting, so before and after practice. Siguro nadadala rin dito sa three-point shootout.
The Rain or Shine gunner’s teammate Belga, a 10-year ace, figured as the most agile big man after besting JP Erram and Gabby Espinas in the final round. The stocky Elasto Painter completed the circuit in just 21.7 ticks. The Blackwater and San Miguel Beer cagers clocked in 29.6 and 30.5 seconds, respectively.
"Napapanood ko kasi sa NBA na meron silang Obstacle Challenge for the bigs,” offered Belga. "Nagkataon na napagkalooban ang mga big man ngayon na maglaro ng ‘Obstacle,' sabi ko, sulitin na lang naming ang pagkakataon.”
Guevarra’s award, on the other hand, was hard-earned. With Blackwater’s Renz Palma forcing a sudden-death round, the Phoenix cager had to dig deep.
A three-time winner of the contest (2014, 2015, 2016) Guevarra leaned on his athleticism to pull off a perfect windmill that earned a perfect 40 — edging Palma’s 39 that came off a 180-degree slam — from the judges panel composed of Ed Cordero, Atoy Co, Alvin Patrimonio and Benjie Paras.
Guevarra’s flush in the sudden death round. He matches his foe’s grace with athleticism. All :one::zero: from the four judges. That ends it! #PBAAllStar18onPhilStar pic.twitter.com/eP6pgl4b16
— Denison Rey Dalupang (@sonrd) May 25, 2018
“Sobrang nalabas 'yung dunk ko dahil sa kanya,” Guevarra said of Palma. "Kailangan talgang itaas 'yung bar para malampasan ko siya.”
In the Shooting Stars segment, Paul Lee’s team trumped Marcio Lassiter’s and LA Tenorio’s respective squads by finishing the six-station course the quickest.
The showcase between the towering Luzon All-Stars and a tweaked version of the national team is set to cap off the revelries.
The third stop of the mid-season event is in Iloilo City this Sunday.