MANILA – Negrense James Yap of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters is set to make another start for the South All-Stars team in the 2019 PBA All-Star Games scheduled from March 29 to 31 in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
This will be the Escalante City, Negros Occidental native’s 16th time to be voted as a starter in the league’s annual festivity. He ties with NLEX Road Warriors’ Paul Asi Taulava for the most appearance in the PBA All-Stars.
Yap is set to join Cebuanos June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beermen and Gregory Slaughter of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, Andy Mark Barroca of Magnolia Hotshots, and Earl Scottie Thompson of Kings in South All-Stars starters.
Reserves are composed of Escalante City native Joe Devance of the Kings, Beermen’s Terrence Romeo and Chris Ross, Hotshots’ Peter June Simon and Jio Jalalon, TNT KaTropa’s Roger Pogoy, Meralco Bolts’ Baser Amer, and John Paul Erram of NLEX Road Warriors.
Kings’ LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar, Hotshots’ Paul Lee, Beermen’s Marcio Lassiter and Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters’ Calvin Abueva, meanwhile, comprised the North All-Stars’ starting lineup.
South team’s reserves were Beermen’s Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos, KaTropa’s Jeth Troy Rosario and Jayson Castro, Painters’ Gabriel Norwood, Hotshots’ Jean Marc Pingris, and Alaska Aces’ Chris Banchero.
The PBA announced the starting lineups for North and South squads after a month of fan voting that was done in game venues and online on the league’s official website. The reserves were handpicked by the 12 PBA coaches.
This year, the PBA has reverted to its old All-Star forma
t of holding the games in just a single venue. For the last two seasons, the league had brought the All-Star weekend nationwide, hopping from Luzon, the Visayas, to Mindanao./PN
