MANILA, Philippines – The following players have been designated substitutes for the upcoming PBA All-Star celebrations this week at the University of St. La Salle gymnasium: rookie Christian David, Aris Dionisio, and Roger Pogoy. They are all headed to Bacolod.

With the injuries to Phoenix’s sophomore playmaker Tyler Tio and previous MVP Scottie Thompson, Pogoy and Dionisio were added to Team Japeth. Thompson has a back ailment, while Tio is out with a grade 2 ankle sprain.

The 31-year-old Pogoy will be making his sixth All-Star appearance, while Dionisio, 28, is participating in his first All-Star.

Tim Cone will be the coach of Team Japeth (Aguilar), where the experienced guard from TNT and Magnolia shooter join Christian Standhardinger, Paul Lee, Calvin Oftana, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Don Trollano, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, Maverick Ahanmisi, Stanley Pringle, and Terrence Romeo.

Injury to Team Stalwarts’s promising big man, Keith Datu, at the last minute, caused a setback for the league’s rookie, sophomore, and junior players in the highly anticipated Blitz Game. But the team’s tenacity was evident as they quickly made adjustments, adding David—Blackwater’s second-round draft choice—to cover for Datu’s absence.

The basketball community was shocked to learn about Datu’s untimely MCL sprain because the rookie for Rain or Shine was anticipated to be a formidable player. The coaching staff was unfazed by the setback and easily inserted David into the lineup with a nucleus of young players who were all very skilled.

With the number one choice Stephen Holt, the cunning Fran Yu, the explosive Adrian Nocum, and the soaring Kim Aurin, Team Stalwarts has an outstanding roster. The team also has the talented John Amores, the nimble-shooting JM Calma, the adaptable Joshua Munzon, the hard-working Leonard Santillan, the persistent Keith Zaldivar, and the enthusiastic Kyt Jimenez.

The team’s frontcourt depth suffered with Datu’s absence, but the coaching staff was still optimistic about their capacity to adjust and prevail. David’s presence not only brought new insight to the group but also made the attacking and defensive tactics of the group more unpredictable.

In yet another bizarre turn of events, Phoenix teammate Ken Tuffin replaced the injured Tio in the guards’ Long Distance Three-Point Game at the last minute. In the meantime, big man Santillan of Rain or Shine showed off his flexibility by taking Datu’s positions in the Obstacle Challenge and the Long Distance Three-Point Shootout.

Fans are excited about this presentation of up-and-coming talent and can’t wait to see these rising stars perform. They are all keen to make a lasting impression on the court. By prioritizing resilience and adaptation, Team Stalwarts and the event planners have shown that they are dedicated to producing an unforgettable event that highlights the breadth and depth of the league’s up-and-coming talent.

James Laput replaces Dionisio, who was raised in the All-Star main game, in the large men’s three-point shootout.

Coach Patrick Partosa’s Team Greats, which consists of Javi Gomez De Liano, Tuffin, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Justin Arana, Ralph Cu, Andrei Caracut, RK Ilagan, Alec Stockton, Gian Mamuyac, Laput, and Shaun Ildefonso, will face off against Team Stalwarts.

With June Mar Fajardo, Jason Perkins, CJ Perez, Robert Bolick, Jio Jalalon, Ian Sangalang, James Yap, Calvin Abueva, Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, Ricci Rivero, Cliff Hodge, Juami Tiongson, and Nards Pinto on the roster, coach Jorge Gallent’s Team Marc (Barroca) takes on Team Japeth.

The dates of the All-Star Weekend are March 23–24.