By REYNALD MAGALLON
It’s Team Barroca against Team Aguilar in the 2024 PBA All-Star games in Bacolod City.
The Magnolia guard Marc Barroca seized the top spot while the veteran Barangay Ginebra forward Japeth Aguilar finished second in the final voting returns to take the captaincy in the weekend festivities on March 22 to 24.
Scottie Thompson, June Mar Fajardo and Calvin Abueva finished in the Top 5 while Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo, Paul Lee, CJ Perez and Maverick Ahanmisi all made it into the Top 10.
Also part of the All-Star game are Calvin Oftana, Stanley Pringle, Chris Newsome, Terrence Romeo, Arvin Tolentino,Jayson Castro, Jio Jalalon and Marcio Lassiter. Ian Sangalang, Robert Bolick, John Pinot, Ricci Rivero, Juami Tiongson and Gabe Norwood rounded out the Top 24 voted by the fans.
James Yap, a pride of Escalante Negros Occidental, meanwhile was voted into the All-Star by the host city Bacolod while Jayson Perkins, Tyler Tio, Don Trollano and Cliff Hodge got the nod from the coaches and the members of the press.
Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone, meanwhile, topped the votes for the coaches, followed by San Miguel Beer tactician Jorge Gallent.
Just like in the last year’s edition the two captains will get the chance to draft the players to their respective teams. In the 2023 All-Stars in Passi City, Iloilo, Team Japeth defeated Team Scottie, 140-136 with Lee coming out as the league MVP.
Meanwhile, Converge big man Keith Zaldivar topped the poll in the RSJ game followed by Jerrick Ahanmisi, Andrei Caracut, Kyt Jimenez and Shaun Ildefonso. Keith Datu, James Laput, Gian Mamuyac, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and John Amores also made the list.
Santi Santillan, Fran Yu, Stephen Holt, Anton Asistio, Ralph Cu, Adrian Nocum, RK Ilagan and Kim Aurin rounded out the Top 24 while Joshua Munzon, Ken Tuffin, Alec Stockton and JM Calma took the spots given to the votes of coaches and media.
