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James
Yap’s star power is telling heavily in the balloting
that will determine the starters for the North and South
teams that will play in the coming All-Star game.
The
Purefoods marksman has garnered 37,776 votes among fans
to lead the prospective candidates who will comprise the
two sides’ starting units.
Exciting
Sta. Lucia forward Kelly Williams, adjudged Best Player
of the Conference in the 2008 Philippine Cup, received
28,176 votes to trail Yap at second place in the votes
for players considered a hit among Philippine Basketball
Association fans today.
The
balloting covered the period from February 1 to March
23. Fans are required to vote three center-forwards and
two guards.
Coincidentally, Yap and Williams are listed as part of
the South All-Star team seeing action in the annual
midseason spectacle scheduled from April 24 to 27 in
Bacolod City, with Williams earning the top spot in the
forward-center position and Yap as the runaway choice in
the position reserved among the guards.
Joining
Yap and Williams as provisional starters for the South
All-Stars are Danny Seigle of Magnolia (27,768), Asi
Taulava of Coke (26,250) and Talk ’N Text playmaker
Jimmy Alapag (26,250).
Yap’s
Purefoods teammates, led by Mark Pingris, Kerby Raymundo
and Romel Adducul, along with Ginebra’s backcourt duo of
Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand, are the early top
vote-getters for the North All-Stars starting unit.
Pingris
had the most number of votes among probable North
All-Star starters with 26,712 votes, followed by
Raymundo with 24, 243 votes and Caguioa with 20,751.
Helterbrand garnered 18,198, while Adducul amassed
18,120.
Others
heavily receiving votes from the fans to make up the
South All-Stars are Magnolia’s Dondon Hontiveros
(13,662), Eric Menk of Barangay Ginebra (16,437),
Purefoods’ Jondan Salvador (13,710) and Roger Yap
(11,616), and Red Bull’s Cyrus Baguio (11,247).
Magnolia’s Lordy Tugade (13,212), Air21’s Arwind Santos
(12,237), the Alaska duo of Willie Miller (14,565) and
Lewis Alfred Tenorio (7,134), and Sta. Lucia’s Joseph
Yeo (6,105) are among the players likely to comprise the
North All-Star squad.
PBA fans
can still cast their votes until April 6 during game
days at the respective playing venues or through the
league’s official web site, www.pba.ph.
This
year’s All-Star festivities, made possible through the
efforts of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Loenardia and
West
Negros College
president Suzette Agustin, will be held from April 24 to
27, with the South All-Stars looking forward to avenge
their heartbreaking 145-142 setback in the hands of
their North counterparts in last year’s edition held in
Baguio City. |
