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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
NBC All-Stars in Iligan, Valencia
All is set for the 2005 National Basketball Conference (NBC) All-Star Games in Iligan City and Valencia City tomorrow and Thursday.
Iligan City Sports Commissioner and Crusaders team manager Freddie Siao said that tickets for the event is selling like hotcakes.
“The fans here are already excited,” Siao said.
And Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz is also elated with the league’s choice of their city as one of the hosts of the extravaganza. The Iligan All-Stars is co-presented by Holcim Philippines, ABU Caltex, Mabuhay Vinyl Corp., National Power Corp. and Jolibee/Greenwhich-Iligan.
“On the 29th, we’ll celebrate our fiesta in honor of St. Michael. We’re thanking the league for giving us this gift,” Cruz said.
In Valencia City, Sports Commission head Rico Ocho was happy to report that they were being deluged by ticket inquiries in the coming All-Star game on Thursday there.
Packed
“If our regular home games are packed, how much more for this once-in-a-season event. We’re already set with our preparations and we’re now looking forward to the arrival of the All-Star players and the league’s delegation,” Mayor Jose Galario Jr. said.
And this early, the Slam-Dunk competition, one of the side events has been drawing much anticipation from the NBC fans in both cities.
Expected to soar in the dunkfest are Ozamiz Cotta’s Elbert Alberto and Toto Delina, Parañaque Jets’ Alex Bognot, Bacchus/Harbour Centre’s James Hudencial and Tribu Sugbu’s high-flying center Marvin Mercado.
In the 3-point Shootout, Cagayan de Oro gunners Roderick Ramos and Ronan Isidro are the favorites to duel for the P5,000,00 top purse and trophy, with Iligan’s Gerry Cavan and Tribu Sugbu’s resident gunner Doroteo Almacin expected to provide stiff competition.
Meanwhile, Cavite Insurers’ Marvin Ortiguerra and Bosyo Diaz will miss the All-Stars and will be replaced by Jay-Ar Estrada and Arnold Booker. The two ace players of the Far Eastern Insurance-backed Cavite opted to rest as they are still recuperating from injuries.
Jhayson Alminario of the Hapee/Dewfoam-backed Mantawi Sparkling Nights and Boyet Guerrero of the Tribu Sugbu have also made it to the Luzon/Visayas All-Stars. They will join Tribus’ Doroteo Almacin, Ronald Bucao, Mercado, Mantawi’s Ardy Larong, Dennis Daa, Mawi Huelar, Iloilo’s Edu Allado, Booker, Estrada, Bognot and Laguna’s Marlon Kalaw.
Coaching staff
The coaching staff will be composed of Tribu’s Al Solis (Iligan leg head coach), Cavite’s Segundo “Bong” dela Cruz (Valencia leg head coach) and Mantawi’s Jun Noel.
Challenging them is the Mindanao All-Stars composed of the Crusaders’ Joseph Roque, Ryan Dy, Cavan, Sammy Ayodelle and Dave Sagad, Chris Nicdao and Billy Bansil of Ozamiz Cotta, Valencia’s Julius Navales, Dino Cabili and Frank Nailon, CDO’s Ramos, Isidro, Resty Getubig and Rey Dumapig of the Zanorte Hornbills.
In the Valencia leg, Golden Harvest players Eliazar Berami, Nat Cruz and Jester Adams will replace Dy, Cabili, Sagad and Ayodelle.
The Mindanao All-Stars’ coaching staff is composed of Billy Reyes (Iligan leg head coach), Arvin Martinez (Valencia leg head coach), Ozamiz’s Albert Calvo, Zanorte’s Ruel Daba and CdO’s Andy Calingin.
(September 27, 2005 issue)
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