HEADING to its 50th anniversary celebration, the Philippine Basketball Association adopts the same format that officially institutionalized the All-Star game back in 1989.
The league announced the return of the classic Rookies/Sophomores/Juniors vs. Veterans match up to serve as the main course of the coming All Star Weekend set in Davao Del Norte from May 2-4.
For the past two years, the PBA patterned its format to the NBA All-Star where the top two players who received the most number of votes are named captains and built their respective teams by drafting the players also selected by fans.
Last season, Japeth Aguilar and Mark Barroca were named captains of their respective All-Star teams in a game that ended in a 140-deadlock in Bacolod City following the memorable five-point play completed by Robert Bolick in the endgame.
"Baka nananawa na yung tao sa drafting. Tingnan natin kung anong makakaganda," said Commissioner Willie Marcial.
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Voting for this year's All-Star weekend began last Feb. 5
The RSJ versus Veterans was the platform that officially launched the All-Star weekend as an annual, mid-season festivity of the league 36 years ago.
That 1989 game produced a classic in what was billed as the 'dream reunion,' as former Toyota teammates Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez connived in the endgame of the Veterans' 132-130 thrilling win at the University of Life Arena (now Philsports Arena).
Jaworski inbounded the ball to Fernandez in the final four seconds and the four-time MVP lost no time driving hard to the basket past young big men Benjie Paras and Alvin Patrimonio and scored on a reverse layup at the buzzer for the win.
The game marked the first time Jaworski and Fernandez played together in one team since the disbandment of Toyota in 1983.
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Ironically, the last time the PBA used the RSJ-Veterans format was in 2012 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte which saw the Veterans won by a mile, 176-144. James Yap was named MVP.
Also spicing up the All-Star weekend is the novelty game featuring two teams with an all-Mindanao players.
Expected to be in the list are the likes of Scottie Thompson and Mark Barroca, who hail from Davao del Sur and Zamboanga City, respectively.
"Ang daming players ng Mindanao, nasa 20 to 24 players. Paglalaruin natin sila ng sabay para makita ng mga taga-Mindanao," said Marcial. (RG)
