PASSI CITY, Iloilo – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters center Beau Belga is aiming for Obstacle Challenge three-peat in the 2023 PBA All-Star weekend today at the City of Passi Arena here.
The Gubat, Sorsogon-native will be returning for the third straight championship against a stacked group of fellow big men led by Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and NLEX Road Warriors rookie Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
Also challenging Belga’s reign are San Miguel Beermen’s Jeepy Faundo, James Laput of Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, Raymond Almazan of Meralco Bolts, Dave Marcelo of TNT Tropang Giga, Joseph Gabayni of Terrafirma Dyip, Renato Ular of Blackwater Bossing, Larry Muyang of Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, John Calma of NorthPort Batang Pier and Justin Arana of Converge FiberXers.
The 36-year-old Belga, a former Philippine Christian University Dolphins star center, first ruled the Obstacle Challenge in 2018 in Batangas before successfully defending it a year later in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
There will be a new champion in the Three-Point shootout and Slam Dunk competition, however, following the retirement of Peter June Simon and Rey Guevarra, respectively.
Spearheading the three-point battle were Hotshots’ Paul Lee, Beermen’s Marcio Lassiter, Tropang Giga’s Roger Pogoy, Batang Pier’s Arvin Tolentino, Gin Kings’ LA Tenorio and Road Warriors’ Kevin Alas.
Completing the roster of participants were Fuel Masters’ Tyler Tio, Bossing’s Baser Amer, Bolts’ Aaron Black, Painters rookie Gian Mamuyac, Fuel Masters’ Jerrick Balanza and Dyip’s Juan Miguel Tiongson.
Bossing’s Tyrus Hill, meanwhile, will spearhead the Slam Dunk competition against FiberXers’ David Murrell, Fuel Masters’ Chris Lalata and Ganuelas-Rosser.
This marks the return of the PBA’s annual festivity, which also features Shooting Stars and the Team Scottie vs Team Japeth PBA All-Star Game, after it was not held the last three years due to COVID-19.
This was the third time that the Iloilo Province has hosted PBA All-Star Weekend after Iloilo City played host for the event in 2000 and 2018 at the University of San Agustin Gym./PN
