PBA All Star Highlights
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 23 Apr 2010
Macapagal crowns himself new PBA 3-point kingpin
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Unheralded Mark Macapagal showed the way to his more illustrious rivals by crowning himself the new three-point shooting champion yesterday raising the curtains in the three-day PBAL -All Star Weekend at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum here.
Showing the accuracy that made him once the King of San Sebastian College Stags in the NCAA, the 30-year-old native of San Simon town in Pampanga, who could not even earn a regular starting role in the Coca Cola Tigers roster, torched the hoops with 13 points in edging Jeff Chan of Rain or Shine and Yousif Aljamal of Barako Coffee for the crown last year?s kingpin James Yap of B-Meg failed to defend.
Macapagal, who admitted to be a distant relative of President Macapagal-Arroyo, a Pampanguena from Lubao town ended up second to Aljamal in the 10-man elimination that also included two-time winner Jimmy Alapag of Talk ?N Text and another one-time champion Renren Ritualo, now of air 21, among others.
Aljamal though wound up third with measly 11 points behind the 12 points of Chan. who attempted first in the three-man finals and actually sank his first three balls but was stopped after missing his fourth due to technical problems.
The Elasto Painters triggerman apparently lost and failed to regain his rhythm, settling instead for second.
Macapagal, who spent the first four years of a six-year pro career with Barangay Ginebra, thus enriched himself by P20,000 for winning the contest, one of six side events of the annual PBA affair being hosted for the first time by Puerto Princesa.
The day proved to be uneventful for the B-meg Derby Aces and, for that matter, for former University of the East Warriors after the fleet-footed Paul Artadi followed Yap?s fate in losing, too, the challenge competition he, likewise, won last year in Davao City.
Like his teammates, who finished last in the three-point shootout with seven points, Artadi, likewise, found himself at the dormant of the 10-man field in his event.
Jonas Villanueva of San Miguel Beer marched triumphantly as the new challenge champ surviving the challenge of former winner Willie Miller of Alaska Milk and Ronjay Buenafe of Air 21.
Two more side events were scheduled for the day with Gabe Norwood, also of Rain or Shine defending his slam-dunk title against a tough field, including three-time winner KG Canaleta of B-Meg at press time.
The day?s main event was the battle between the Sophomores and the Rookies, scheduled late evening. The main feature of the three-day classic is the encounter between the North and south Starts set tomorrow.
The best and the finest shooters, slammers and buzzer-beaters in Asia?s and the country?s first professional league strut their wares when the annual PBA All-Star Weekend visits this scenic capital of the MIMAROPA Region.
Highlight of the three-day celebration, a first in the city and the region, will be the battle of the South and North Selections, the main composition of both was culled from the votes of the basketball fans themselves, scheduled on the final day Sunday at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum.
That classic encounter, a reversion of an old practice pitting a team from the Visayas and Mindanao against their counterparts from Luzon, will be preceded by similarly interesting side events scheduled today featuring a game between the Rookies and the Sophomores, also at the 10,000-seat city arena.
Coached by B-Meg assistant mentor George Gallent, the Rookies ? Marcy Arellano of the Painters, Mike Burtscher of the Aces, Jervy Cruz, also of Rain or Shine, Ronnie Matias of Air 21, Ogie Menor of Barako Coffee, Chris Ross of Coca Cola, Cris Timberlake of Sta. Lucia and Josh Urbiztondo of Sta. Lucia ? will try to show all and sundry how far they had improved against their second year counterparts.
The Sophomores, handled by Luigi Trillo, one of Tim Cone?s assistants at Alaska, are made ujp of Beau Belga of Air 21, Mark Borfboran of the Aces, Jason Castro of Talk ?N Text, Jeff Chan of Rain or Shine, Rob Reyes of Barako, Jared Dilliger, also of T?NT, Larry Rodriguez of Coca Cola and Tester Mark Yee.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Weigh-In Results: Robson Conceição vs. O'Shaquie Foster 2
Sat, 02 Nov 2024SCHOFIELD VS. TELLEZ GIRON OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
Sat, 02 Nov 2024Teflon Promotions Card for November 2nd in Collingswood, NJ is Postponed
Sat, 02 Nov 2024Stanford University’s Dante Kirkman Set to Return to the Ring at Fox Theater in Redwood City, CA
Sat, 02 Nov 2024EDDIE HEARN’S MATCHROOM PROVIDES MAJOR FINANCIAL BOOST TO 100 UK AMATEUR BOXING CLUBS IN NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH EMPIRE FIGHTING CHANCE
Sat, 02 Nov 2024The Scariest Division in Boxing
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 01 Nov 2024"Worcester Championship Boxing" Official Weights
Fri, 01 Nov 2024SCHOFIELD VS. TELLEZ GIRON FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 01 Nov 2024WEIGHTS FROM ORLANDO FLORIDA
Fri, 01 Nov 2024Team USA Sends Five Boxers to the World Boxing U19 Championship Finals and a Chance at Gold
Fri, 01 Nov 2024Press Conference Notes: Robson Conceição and O'Shaquie Foster Promise to Settle Rivalry in Saturday's World Title Rematch
Fri, 01 Nov 2024Undefeated bantamweight prospect Dominique “Dimes” Crowder Ready to cash in on The Boardwalk
Fri, 01 Nov 2024Kevin Arquero rules 3rd Fide Master Angelito Z. Camer Rapid Chess Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 31 Oct 2024Plania stops Julio in 3rd round
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 31 Oct 2024MARIO "EL AZTECA" BARRIOS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
Thu, 31 Oct 2024