MANILA – A Western Visayas-based cager has emerged as the top vote getter for the Rookies, Sophomores, and Juniors Game of the 2024 PBA All-Star Weekend to be held in Bacolod City.
Converge FiberXers forward Keith Zaldivar, who hails from Aklan, became the surprising top vote getter among the fans in the blitz game for the first year, second year, and third year PBA cagers.
Zaldivar, a former standout of Adamson University Falcons in the UAAP, has only played for two games with the FiberXers during the 2023-2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Placing second is Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots gunner Jerrick Ahanmisi, while at third spot is Rain or Shine Elasto Painters guard Andrei Caracut.
Caracut is one of the six Painters voted for the exhibition game aside from last year’s top vote getter Gian Mamuyac, Shawn Ildefonso, Keith Datu, Leonard Santillan, and Anton Asistio.
NorthPort Batang Pier and Terrafirma Dyip have two players each voted by the fans in Fran Yu and John Amores; and Stephen Holt and Javi Gomez de Liaño, respectively.
Others voted are FiberXers’ Justin Arana, San Miguel Beermen’s Kyt Jimenez, Hotshots’ James Laput, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of NLEX Road Warriors, Ralph Cu of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, RK Ilagan of Blackwater Bossing, and Kim Aurin of TNT Tropang Giga.
Joshua Munzon and John Michael Calma of the Batang Pier, Kenneth Tuffin of Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, and Alec Stockton of Converge were picked to join the RSJ match by coaches and media.
The two RSJ teams is to be handled by the assistant coaches of Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone and Beermen mentor Jorge Gallent.
This serve as PBA All-Star’s return to the City of Smiles since the 2008 edition that was held at the STI-West Negros University Gymnasium./PN
