PBA All-Stars: South beats North in rare OT game, 163-158

MANILA, Philippines - The South All-Stars defeated the North All-Stars, 163-158, in overtime Sunday night to end the 2008 Smart-PBA All Star Week at the West Negros University gym in Bacolod City. Peter June Simon stole the show from home boys James Yap and Reynel Hugnatan, pouring in a game-high 29 points, including five in overtime, to lead his team against the North All Stars, who won the event in Baguio City last year. Simon, who's from Davao, was named the All-Star MVP, becoming the first first-time participant to win the honor since Boy Cabahug did so as a rookie in 1989. Clashing in a nonregular PBA game, the two teams didn’t necessarily need to play overtime as regulation play ended at 149-all on a short stab by Ranidel de Ocampo on a feed by Mark Caguioa with 10.7 ticks to go. But the players led the crowd in asking league officials not to let the game end tied. The home fans roared in approval as commissioner Sonny Barrios and the league board agreed to call an extension play. Hugnatan shattered a 154-all deadlock on a layup. Then Simon banged away a trey, and Kelly Williams sank a twinner as the South team raced ahead to stay at 161-154. It became the first All-Star Game to go into overtime since the event was institutionalized in 1989. The Southern alliance avenged their 142-145 loss in Baguio last year, thus, forging a 4-4 deadlock with their North counterparts in the annual mid-season spectacle. The game also became the highest scoring All-Star Game, breaking the 187-point combined output last year. Both teams also surpassed the previous highest scoring output by an All-Star team set by the Allan Caidic-led North All-Stars in a 149-129 rout of South in 1993. "It’s an All-Star Game and it’s all about offense but I’m glad we made the needed stops at crunch time," said winning coach Boyet Fernandez, among the province’s contributions to Philippine basketball. Jimmy Alapag scored 22 points, hauled down four rebounds and issued a record-tying 13 assists. Bal David set the record in winning All-Star Game MVP honors in 1997. Yap tossed in 25 points but struggled on 3-of-13 shooting from the three-point area. Barangay Ginebra's Mark Caguiao led the North All-Stars in scoring with 24 points followed by Magnolia's Lordy Tugade who scored 22 markers. Scores South All-Stars (163): Simon 29, Yap 25, Hugnatan 23, Alapag 22, Hontiveros 16, Williams 15, Taulava 10, Ferriols 8, Baguio 8, Valenzuela 5, Thoss 2 North All-Stars (158):Caguioa 24, Tugade 22, Helterbrand 19, Cardona 19, Miller 14, Santos 13, Pingris 12, Raymundo 12, De Ocampo 10, Belasco 7, Villanueva 4, Reyes 2 Quarters: 41-41, 78-79, 114-113, 149-149 (regulation), 163-158

- GMANews.TV