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PBA STAR. Japeth Aguilar earns another All-Star Game selection.
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Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson top the fan voting as Barangay Ginebra players make up one-third of the top 24 for the PBA All-Star Game
MANILA, Philippines – It will be Team Japeth Aguilar versus Team Scottie Thompson in the PBA All-Star Game in Passi City, Iloilo.
The Barangay Ginebra teammates topped the fan voting that closed on Wednesday, February 15, with Aguilar taking the No. 1 spot with 1,239,665 votes.
Meanwhile, Thompson finished second with 1,217,226 votes as he and Aguilar serve as captains and get a chance to build their respective teams from the rest of the 24-man field through a draft on Monday, February 20.
The mid-season festivities will roll off from March 9 to 12.
Once the top vote-getter, San Miguel star June Mar Fajardo settled for third with 1,207,592 votes, while Jamie Malonzo (1,196,423) and Christian Standhardinger (1,191,379) made it four Gin Kings players to crack the top five.
Despite sitting out for more than a year, Rain or Shine veteran James Yap came in at sixth with 1,190,624 followed by Ginebra’s LA Tenorio (1,189,717), Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva (1,188,589) and Mark Barroca (1,184,644), and Ginebra’s Stanley Pringle (1,181,724).
CJ Perez, Paul Lee, Jayson Castro, Gian Mamuyac, Jeremiah Gray, Terrence Romeo, Robert Bolick, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, Roger Pogoy, Kevin Alas, Chris Newsome, Nards Pinto, and Mikey Williams completed the list.
Mamuyac and Gray were the only rookies to make the top 24.
With eight Ginebra players gaining All-Star berths, the Gin Kings faithful showed their force as Tim Cone topped the coaches voting with 1,291,785 votes.
Cone will call the shots against Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao, who garnered 1,231,538 votes for second place.
Gabe Norwood, Jeff Chan, Calvin Oftana, and Jio Jalalon were named All-Star reserves.
In the Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors Game, Rain or Shine neophyte Shaun Ildefonso finished first with 1,190,719 votes followed by Oftana (1,190,448) and Phoenix’s Tyler Tio (1,185,632).
Aaron Black (1,183,150), Justin Arana (1,182,979), Jerrick Ahanmisi (1,180,125), Matt Nieto (1,167,491), Mike Nieto (1,165,341), Jerrick Balanza (1,162,405), and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (1,159,661) rounded out the top 10.
RK Ilagan, Allyn Bulanadi, Ato Ular, Isaac Go, Anton Asistio, Joshua Munzon, Aris Dionisio, Encho Serrano, Adrian Wong, and Javi Gomez de Liaño also made it.
Alec Stockton, Andrei Caracut, Aljun Melecio, and Kent Salado were named RSJ reserves. – Rappler.com
