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Tag: 2026 PBA All-Star

  • Japeth Aguilar turns back the clock, becomes oldest MVP in PBA All-Star Game history

    Japeth Aguilar turns back the clock, becomes oldest MVP in PBA All-Star Game history

    Veteran high-flyer Japeth Aguilar proved that age is just a number as he delivered a spectacular performance to headline the 2026 PBA All-Star Game in Candon City.

     

    Celebrating his 10th appearance in the league’s annual midseason showcase, the 39-year-old Barangay Ginebra big man turned in a crowd-pleasing performance to power Solid North to a 147-142 victory over South on Sunday night at the Candon City Arena.

     

    Aguilar dazzled the fans with 29 points, highlighted by a flawless display in the dunk attempts where he converted all seven tries — each worth three points in the All-Star format.

     

    His final slam came with just 24 seconds remaining and effectively sealed the win for the North squad, extending its dominance in the exhibition to six straight victories over the South since the 2010 edition.

     

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    For his efforts, Aguilar was named the Most Valuable Player, making him the oldest player ever to capture the award in the history of the PBA All-Star Game.

     

    “I’m just enjoying this All-Star game,” said Aguilar.

     

    The achievement also gave Aguilar his third All-Star MVP recognition, though it marked his first time winning the honor outright.

     

    He previously shared the award with Arwind Santos in 2019 and with Robert Bolick in 2024.

     

    Aguilar’s latest accolade also came with a historical footnote. The veteran center surpassed the previous record held by Santos, who was 37 years old when he won the All-Star MVP in 2019.

     

    More than the numbers, Aguilar’s performance served as a reminder that even after nearly two decades in the league, the athletic big man can still rise above the rim — and the competition — when the spotlight shines brightest.

     

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  • PBA legends Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Marc Pingris, Ranidel De Ocampo to spice up Rookies-Sophomores vs Juniors game

    PBA legends Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Marc Pingris, Ranidel De Ocampo to spice up Rookies-Sophomores vs Juniors game

    The PBA’s rising stars won’t be the only attraction in Friday’s Rookies and Sophomores vs. Juniors showcase.

     

    Four of the league’s most recognizable veterans — Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Marc Pingris, and Ranidel De Ocampo — are set to step back onto the court to add a nostalgic twist to the All-Star weekend event.

     

    Former MVPs Santos and Miller will suit up for the Rookies and Sophomores side, while Pingris and De Ocampo will reinforce the Juniors squad in a matchup that already features some of the PBA’s brightest young talents from their first three seasons in the league.

     

    Their participation forms part of the PBA’s 50th anniversary celebration, with commissioner Willie Marcial opting to blend past and present after plans for a full legends matchup proved difficult to organize.

     

    “Pinaplano namin talaga kasi 50th anniversary, papalaruin sila, two teams ng legends. ‘Yung iba, hindi magkasundo sa schedule so nahihirapan kami. Sinabi ko, magsama tayo kahit apat. Gusto ko nga tig-apat. Nahihirapan din talaga sa schedules,” said Marcial during Thursday’s press conference at the Hotel Van Gogh.

     

    “Buti napagbigyan ako ng apat na legends. Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila,” he added.

     

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    The inclusion of the veterans gives fans a rare chance to see some of the league’s former superstars share the floor with the new generation.

     

    Miller, who captured the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2002 and 2007, and Santos, the 2013 MVP, are expected to provide leadership — and perhaps a few flashes of their old brilliance — while competing alongside the league’s young standouts.

     

    De Ocampo, now serving as an assistant coach for TNT, will find himself back in uniform and even sharing the floor with some familiar faces from the Tropang 5G organization.

     

    “’Yung coach din namin sa TNT,” said the 44-year-old De Ocampo, referring to Chot Reyes’ lieutenants Sandy Arespachochaga and Yuri Escueta. “Excited kami.”

     

    For Miller, the exhibition may be labeled as fun basketball, but he admits the competitive spirit that defined his playing days will still be there once the game tips off.

     

    “When it comes to basketball, competitive. Kahit fun basketball, Pilipino tayo, ayaw natin magpatalo diba. Pag jumpball, iba na ‘yung mentality,” said the 48-year-old Miller.

     

    The appearance of the four legends is expected to add extra energy to the contest, blending nostalgia with the promise of the PBA’s next generation as the league continues its golden anniversary celebration.

     

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  • PBA 3-point king Marcio Lassiter, defending champ Calvin Oftana headline PBA All-Star Shootout

    PBA 3-point king Marcio Lassiter, defending champ Calvin Oftana headline PBA All-Star Shootout

    The spotlight on shooting excellence will burn bright in Candon, Ilocos Sur as the PBA gathers some of the league’s deadliest perimeter threats for the Long Distance Shootout during the upcoming All-Star Weekend.

     

    Leading the stacked field are reigning Three-Point Shootout champion Calvin Oftana and San Miguel sharpshooter Marcio Lassiter, whose reputation as the most prolific three-point shooter in league history adds another layer of intrigue to the contest.

     

    Oftana enters the event with the confidence of a defending champion. The TNT forward captured the crown in the 2024 All-Star festivities in Bacolod City after outgunning Magnolia’s Paul Lee in the finals, cementing his status as one of the PBA’s most reliable marksmen.

     

    Sharing the stage with him is Lassiter, who etched his name in league history the same year by surpassing Jimmy Alapag as the PBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made. Now 38, the veteran remains a dangerous long-range threat and will look to prove that his shooting touch remains as lethal as ever.

     

    The competition, however, will be far from a two-man duel.

     

    A deep cast of shooters will try to steal the spotlight, including Rain or Shine’s Andrei Caracut, Terrafirma guard Jerrick Ahanmisi, Titan Ultra’s Joshua Munzon, Phoenix playmaker Tyler Tio, Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero, and Blackwater scorer Sedrick Barefield.

     

     

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    NLEX’s Xyrus Torres, Meralco swingman CJ Cansino, Barangay Ginebra guard Ralph Cu, and Converge rookie Juan Gomez de Liaño also round out the lineup, each bringing their own shooting arsenal into one of the most anticipated side events of the weekend.

     

    Beyond the three-point spectacle, the league will also stage the Obstacle Challenge, a fast-paced contest designed to highlight speed, agility, and ball-handling among both guards and big men.

     

    Among the backcourt entries, NLEX star Robert Bolick and Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos headline the field. They will battle a competitive group that includes Gomez de Liaño, Tio, TNT’s Rey Nambatac, Ahanmisi, San Miguel’s Juami Tiongson, Titan Ultra guard Fran Yu, Rain or Shine rookie Felix Lemetti, Magnolia’s Jerom Lastimosa, Meralco veteran Anjo Caram, and rookie Dalph Panopio.

     

    The big men will have their own spotlight as San Miguel’s JM Calma returns to defend the Obstacle Challenge title he won two years ago in Bacolod.

     

    Back then playing for NorthPort, the 6-foot-6 big man topped Santi Santillan of Rain or Shine and Magnolia center James Laput in the finals to capture the crown.

     

    This time, Calma faces a deeper field that includes Laput, Barangay Ginebra veteran Japeth Aguilar, Converge center Justin Arana, Meralco’s Raymond Almazan, TNT forward Henry Galinato, NLEX’s Brandon Ramirez, Blackwater big man Abu Tratter, Terrafirma rookie Gian Chiu, Phoenix youngster Kai Balungay, Rain or Shine veteran Beau Belga, and Titan Ultra’s Damie Cuntapay.

     

    The PBA All-Star festivities are scheduled from March 6 to 8, promising three days of entertainment and skill showcases that will bring the league’s brightest talents together in Ilocos Sur.

     

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  • PBA’s 50th Anniversary takes center stage in Candon as All-Star Weekend heads north

    PBA’s 50th Anniversary takes center stage in Candon as All-Star Weekend heads north

    For a league celebrating 50 years of history, the Philippine Basketball Association is taking the celebration on the road.


    This week, the PBA’s golden anniversary celebration shifts north as Candon City plays host to the PBA All-Star Weekend, transforming the Ilocos Sur province into the country’s basketball capital for four days.

     

    A 160-member delegation, highlighted by 59 players, will leave Manila late Wednesday for the seven-hour trip, a caravan carrying five decades of professional basketball tradition to one of the league’s newest provincial stages. 

     

    It marks the first All-Star showcase since the 2024 edition in Bacolod City and comes a year after the supposed 2025 staging in Davao was scrapped due to security concerns.

     

    Commissioner Willie Marcial will spearhead the delegation, joined by league officials and participants from the North and South All-Star squads, the Rookies/Sophomores and Juniors teams, and competitors. 

     

    Members of the PBA Board led by Chairman Ricky Vargas, along with team executives, are also expected to arrive by the weekend.

     

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    On the court, the North-South rivalry headlines the festivities, as Coach Leo Austria will guide the North All-Stars, whose roster includes Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, rookie Juan Gomez De Liano, CJ Perez, Stephen Holt, Justine Baltazar, Adrian Nocum, Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino, Gian Mamuyac, Justin Arana, and Don Trollano.

     

    Opposing them is the South squad under veteran coach Chot Reyes, bannered by June Mar Fajardo, RJ Abarrientos, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Robert Bolick, Roger Pogoy, JB Bahio, Leonard Santillan, Alec Stockton, Caelan Tiongson, Rey Nambatac, and Jericho Cruz.

    While the star power promises fireworks on Sunday night, the league’s message extends beyond the scoreboard.

     

    The four-day stay will feature a motorcade and parade, school visits, tree-planting activity, meet-and-greet sessions, a court turnover ceremony, and referees’ and coaches’ clinics — underscoring the PBA’s effort to turn its anniversary celebration into a community-driven outreach.

     

    Action tips off Friday at the Candon City Arena with the Skills Event at 5:30 p.m. Sunday’s program begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Daily Fantasy Shooting Star contest before the main All-Star Game takes center stage at 7:30 p.m.

     

    After a year of uncertainty and a canceled showcase in 2025, the league has found its stage once more. As the PBA marks 50 years, it does so not just by looking back at its legacy but by bringing the celebration directly to the fans who have sustained it for generations.

     

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  • PBA All-Star call-ups reshape PBA rookies, juniors showdowns

    PBA All-Star call-ups reshape PBA rookies, juniors showdowns

    What was once shaping up as a showcase of the PBA’s next wave has been significantly reworked, as All-Star selections forced multiple lineup changes across the league’s midseason exhibition games.

     

    Several young standouts initially slated to headline the Rookies/Sophomores vs. Juniors side event will now shift their attention to the main PBA All-Star Game, scheduled on March 8 in Candon, Ilocos Sur, following league rules that prioritize All-Star participation in the marquee contest.

     

    Among those affected are RJ Abarrientos of Barangay Ginebra and Juan Gomez de Liano of Converge, both of whom received strong fan support that vaulted them into starting roles for the All-Star North and South squads. Their elevation, however, meant stepping away from the developmental exhibition where they were originally expected to lead the Rookies/Sophomores team.

     

    Abarrientos will suit up for the Solid South, joining Scottie Thompson, Robert Bolick, Calvin Oftana, and June Mar Fajardo under coach Chot Reyes. On the other side, Gomez de Liano will represent the Solid North alongside Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, Stephen Holt, and CJ Perez, with coach Leo Austria at the helm.

     

    The ripple effects of the All-Star rule extended beyond the two guards.

     

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    Also removed from the Rookies/Sophomores and Juniors matchups were Stephen Holt, Justine Baltazar, Adrian Nocum, CJ Cansino, Caelan Tiongson, and Zavier Lucero. With the exception of Holt, the five were named All-Star reserves following selections made by the league’s 12 head coaches.

     

    Prior to the reshuffle, Baltazar, Cansino, and Tiongson had been voted by fans into the Rookies/Sophomores lineup, while Nocum, Holt, and Lucero were penciled in for the Juniors squad. Their promotion to the All-Star pool effectively removed several of the side event’s biggest attractions.

     

    While fans will miss seeing some of the league’s most exciting young talents clash in the developmental showcase, the changes underscore a different storyline — one that highlights how quickly this new generation is being ushered onto the league’s biggest stage.

     

    Instead of headlining side events, many of the PBA’s rising names will now share the floor with established stars, turning the All-Star weekend into a reflection not just of popularity, but of the league’s rapidly evolving hierarchy.

     

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  • Converge dominates PBA All-Star selections with five players 

    Converge dominates PBA All-Star selections with five players 

    Converge’s rapid transformation from expansion squad to legitimate league presence will be on full display at the PBA All-Star Game on March 8 in Candon, Ilocos Sur.

     

    The FiberXers headline the Season 50 All-Star weekend after landing a league-high five players in the Solid North vs. Solid South showcase — a clear sign of how far the franchise has come in a short span.

     

    Anchoring Converge’s strong showing are the so-called “Twin Towers” of Justin Arana and Justin Baltazar, joined by Alec Stockton, newly-acquired veteran Calvin Abueva, and rookie Juan Gomez De Liano. No other team will send more representatives to the main event.

     

    Abueva and Gomez De Liano earned starting roles for the Solid North after topping the fan vote under head coach Leo Austria, while Arana, Baltazar, and Stockton secured their spots through the coaches’ selections. 

     

    Arana and Baltazar will line up alongside Abueva and Gomez De Liano for the North, while Stockton will suit up for the Solid South coached by Chot Reyes. 

     

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    Abueva’s inclusion carries a unique twist. The 38-year-old was voted in by fans while still with Titan Ultra before being traded to Converge just last week. The FiberXers acquired him in exchange for Rey Suerte, King Caralipio, and rookie Mark Omega, adding another layer of intrigue to his All-Star appearance in new colors.

     

    Trailing Converge in All-Star representation are Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer, with four players apiece. The Gin Kings will be represented by Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, Stephen Holt, and RJ Abarrientos, while San Miguel’s contingent features June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Don Trollano, and Jericho Cruz.

     

    Aguilar, Holt, and Perez were voted as starters for the Solid North, while Thompson, Abarrientos, and Fajardo will open for the Solid South.

     

    Rain or Shine and TNT each placed three players in the event. Adrian Nocum, Caelan Tiongson, and Leonard Santillan made it for the Elasto Painters, while Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy, and Rey Nambatac carried TNT’s banner. Meralco and NLEX will have two All-Stars each, while Magnolia rounds out the field with Zavier Lucero.

     

    Beyond the individual honors, Converge’s All-Star dominance signals a franchise no longer content with simply competing. With five players on the league’s biggest midseason stage, the FiberXers are announcing — loudly — that they now belong among the PBA’s elite.

     

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  • From semifinal foes to All-Star teammates as RJ Abarrientos, Juan Gomez de Liano face Adrian Nocum-led Juniors

    From semifinal foes to All-Star teammates as RJ Abarrientos, Juan Gomez de Liano face Adrian Nocum-led Juniors

    What the playoffs kept apart, the All-Star Weekend is about to bring together.

     

    After trading blows as opponents in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals between Barangay Ginebra and Converge, RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liano are set to wear the same colors — if only for a night — as fan-chosen leaders of the Rookies-Sophomores squad in the Season 50 PBA All-Star side event.

     

    The unlikely pairing will take center stage during the March 6–8 festivities in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where the revived Rookies-Sophomores vs Juniors clash returns as a prelude to the main All-Star Game.

     

    Fan voting made the reunion possible. Abarrientos topped all first- and second-year players with 42,862 votes, edging out Converge big man Justine Baltazar (38,022) and Gomez de Liano (37,802) to headline the youthful lineup. 

     

    On the other side, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum emerged as the leading vote-getter for the Juniors with 38,710 votes, setting up a marquee showdown between the league’s rising present and its near-future stars.

     

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    The matchup carries a sense of unfinished business for the league. The format was meant to return during last year’s All-Star Weekend in Davao but was shelved at the last moment due to security concerns, with the event falling a week before the mid-term elections. Its last actual appearance dates back to 2019 in Calasiao, Pangasinan, when the Rookies-Sophomores edged the Juniors 141–140 on a dramatic Jvee Mocon putback.

     

    This year’s cast brings no shortage of intrigue. Joining Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano on the Rookies-Sophomores side are Sedrick Barefield (32,246), Jerom Lastimosa (31,208), Caelan Tiongson (30,840), Kai Ballungay (28,466), CJ Cansino (28,094), Sonny Estil (24,026), Dalph Panopio (23,136), Mark Nonoy (20,498), and Felix Lemetti (19,890) — a mix of creators, slashers, and athletic forwards.

     

    Standing in their way is a Juniors squad stacked with familiar names and rising stars. Alongside Nocum are Ricci Rivero (38,020), Holt (35,584), Zavier Lucero (35,120), Brandon Bates (28,008), Ralph Cu (27,806), Christian David (25,852), Kim Aurin (25,142), Kenneth Tuffin (25,576), Fran Yu (23,602), Deschon Winston (21,412), and Cade Flores (20,370).

     

    For Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano, the All-Star stage offers something rare — a chance to turn rivalry into rhythm, if only temporarily. And for fans, it’s exactly the kind of crossover the weekend was made for.

     

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