PBA: Pingris powers North All-Stars over South

Chot Reyes’ golden touch just won’t work in the PBA All-Star game. Not yet at least until this season. Marc Pingris finished with a game-high 24 points, including the game-clinching basket in the North’s 133-129 win over its South counterpart that capped a fitting end to the All-Star weekend festivities at the Eco-Village gym in the island paradise of Boracay. Pingris completed the play underneath off a perfect assist from L.A. Tenorio in the final 12.4 seconds, enough for him to run away with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the night. The win marked the first time since 1993 and 1994 that North recorded back-to-back victories over the South in the mid-season spectacle. It also put an end to Reyes’ string of successes recently in the aftermath of his two straight championships with Talk `N Text in the Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup, respectively. Reyes called the shots for the South, which Dondon Hontiveros led with 19 points. It was the fourth defeat for Reyes in an All-Star game. The Talk ‘N Text coach who is aiming to steer his ball club to a Grand Slam now has a 0-4 record in this annual event. “Nakabawi na rin ako kay coach Chot," said North counterpart Ato Agustin, whose San Miguel Beermen lost to the Tropang Texters in six games during the All-Filipino Finals. Arwind Santos had 21 for the North, while Willie Miller 16, and had a big hand in the closing spurt that saved the day for his team. Miller made lay-up to tie the score at 129, and then hit the go-ahead free throw in the final 18.8 seconds. Twice, South had chances of sending the game into overtime, but James Yap and Hontiveros missed their respective three-point attempts in the finals seconds. Counting last year’s 133-130 win, North now holds a 6-4 lead over South in its head-to-head duel. In the Legends Three-Point Shoot-Out event, Mark Macapagal, Ronald Tubid and Jimmy Alapag beat the Legends’ triumvirate of Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, and Ato Agustin, 43-31, as the Active Players won for the fourth year in a row. - RCJ, GMA News