Team Japeth gets last laugh

CITY OF PASSI – Be it the 11 first-timers or the seasoned campaigners, participants in the revived PBA All-Star Game went about business with tons of energy and enthusiasm.

With genuine intent to beat the other side, they fought to win every possession, defended their goal and looked patiently for the best option to score.

And after 48 action-packed minutes, Team Japeth came away victorious over Team Scottie, 140-136, last night in the 2023 extravaganza in front of a packed crowd at the City of Passi Arena here in Iloilo.

Paul Lee, still hot after ruling the Three-Point Shootout last Thursday, fired 32 points spiked by six conversions from the extended four-point line to lead the Tim Cone-mentored squad to the thrilling victory.

Jamie Malonzo and RR Pogoy, with 20 markers each, and Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome, with 16 apiece, complemented MVP Lee in ruling the first All-Star game since 2019.

Team Japeth of non-playing captain Japeth Aguilar won P150,000 while Team Scottie settled for the P75,000 second-place purse.

With Lee dropping four from beyond the 27-foot arc, Team Japeth seized early twin-digit leads that reached a high of 15. Malonzo, Pogoy and Oftana then stepped forward in the stretch to regain control after Kevin Alas and Team Scottie fought back hard and took a 127-126 upperhand.

Alas finished with a game-high 35 while Perez shot 26 and Christian Standhardinger banged in 22 for the losing squad.

Team Japeth also defeated Team Scottie in the pre-game Dance-Off, banking an additional P150,000.

Notes: Former MVP James Yap, who made a homecoming in the province where he spent a portion of his high school days, played his 17th consecutive All Star Game, all as a starter. In playing in front of fellow Ilonggos, Yap tied Asi Taulava for most All Star appearances in history.