New format to spice up PBA All-Star Game

MANILA, Philippines – With some of the stars loaned to the national team, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will implement a different format in its annual All-Star Game. Instead of the usual North versus South or Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors versus the Veterans games, the country’s premier collegiate league will have a Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao All-Stars to be reinforced by selected imports going up against the Yeng Guiao-mentored RP team. This will be the second time in PBA’s history that they will feature the Nationals in an All-Star Game. In 1998, the Centennial squad of then coach Tim Cone battled a selection of players reinforced by imports. “This will be our own way of helping the national team by giving them the exposure they need," said PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios. Guiao had the difficult time of completing the members of the RP five since four of the players – Jared Dillinger and Ranidel de Ocampo of Talk N Text and Willie Miller and Sonny Thoss of Alaska – couldn’t make it to the weekly Monday training schedule because their team played in the finals. Kerby Raymundo and James Yap also had difficulty attending the practice because of their schedules while Jayjay Helterbrand and Ryan Reyes are currently in the United States. According to Guiao, he’s planning to conduct a twice or thrice a week training for the squad. – GMANews.TV