|
A BUSY
schedule awaits the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
ambassadors of goodwill when they set foot in Bacolod
City for the 2008 Smart-PBA All-Star Weekend.
The
delegation, which leaves in two batches early Thursday
morning, will be preoccupied with an array of activities
from basketball, charity work, autograph-signing and
mall and school tours during their four-day stay in the
“City of
Smiles.”
A campus
tour at De La Salle and West Negros College, a
tree-planting session, radio tour (Yes FM and Campus
Radio), plant visit (Bong Bongs) and mall tour
(Robinson’s) are just a few of the activities lined up
for the PBA All-Stars on the first day of annual
spectacle also sponsored by Pigrolac, Mighty Bond, Coke
and Yakult.
 The
following day, they will grace the ribbon-cutting
ceremony of Jam Ball at the Gaisano Mall, then visit the
Bacolod Boys’ Home for some outreach program before
paying a courtesy call to Mayor Evelio Leonardia and
other city officials before lunchtime.
Later in
the afternoon the North and South teams will take a
short stop at the West Negros University Gym to watch
the eliminations of the Batang PBA league before taking
a much-needed rest.
In the
meantime, the rest of their peers plunge into action
before dusk for the skills competitions (slam dunk,
three-point shootout and obstacle course) and the Blitz
Game between the Rookies and Sophomores.
“It’s
going to be a busy weekend for the players and the PBA
in general, but this is a commitment we are doing for
the basketball fans and the friendly people of Bacolod
City,” said league commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios.
On
Saturday members of both the North and Star teams will
attend the two-hour basketball clinics, one for kids at
Bay Center to be handled by coach Norman Black, and the
other for coaches at the West Negros University headed
by Sta. Lucia’s Boyet Fernandez and Purefoods’s Ryan
Gregorio.
Technical officials Romy Guevarra and Ramil Cruz are
also conducting the last of their three-day referees’
basketball clinic at the same university venue early in
the morning.
The
North and South teams will be holding an
autograph-signing session at the Panaad Stadium before
proceeding at the Bahay Kalinga Village where they will
build and paint two houses for the homeless. The PBA
stars cap the third of the annual festivities by
mingling with the fans during the PBA Kalinga sa
Kalikasan Party.
On
D-day, the Rookies, Sophomores and skills players lead
the coastal cleanup at Pahanocoy in the morning and then
pregame events featuring the Shooting Stars and the
Legends Shootout precede the main match pitting the
North versus South.
Superstar guard James Yap heads the South All-Stars
looking to avenge their 145-142 loss to the North a year
ago. Joining him in the team are Asi Taulava, Danny
Seigle, Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, Cyrus Baguio, John
Ferriols, Dondon Hontiveros, Reynel Hugnatan, Peter June
Simon, Sonny Thoss and Junthy Valenzuela.
The
Ginebra duo of Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand,
meanwhile, banner the North squad which has for players
Mark Pingris, Lordy Tugade, Kerby Raymundo, Nic Belasco,
Mac Cardona, Ranidel de Ocampo, Willie Miller, Arwind
Santos, Rico Villanueva and rookie Ryan Reyes.
Fernandez will call the shots for the South All-Stars,
while Gregorio will coach the North All-Stars. |
