PBA ALL-STAR PUERTO PRINCESA CITY Images (South vs North)

PBA IMAGE 1 - Willie Miller of North All-Star runs for the ball against Don-don HOntiveros of South All-Star with Arwind Santos of North Team looking. 

PBA IMAGE 2 - Gabe Norwood of North All-Star gets the alley-op pass from teamate Jay-Jay Helterbrand.

PBA IMAGE 3 - James Yap of South All-Star with the easy basket.

PBA IMAGE 4 - James Yap of South All-Star left Paul Artadi of North All-Star on the floor after a spin move.

PBA IMAGE 5 - Kelly WIlliams of SOuth Al-Star with the infatic two handed trow down slam.

PBA IMAGE 6 - The South All-Stars entertaining the Fans of Puerto Princesa with a nice and funny Hip-Hop Dance before the game. Note; Dancing in the middle is Joe Devance

PBA IMAGE 7 - Jimmy Alapag of South All-Star dribble drives over two North Defenders Arwind Santos and Mac-mac Cardona

Rookie vs Sophomore (BLITZGAME)

MVP is Jared Dillinger.

Sophomore wins it. 

All-Star Images (SKILLS EVENT)

PBA IMAGE 1 (Obstacle) - Jonas Villanueva with Ms. Elen Hagedorn (wife of Mayor Edward Hagedorn) and Commissioner Sonny Barrios.

PBA IMAGE 1 (3pt shootout) - Marc Macapagal with Ms. Elen Hagedorn (wife of Mayor Edward Hagedorn) and Commissioner Sonny Barrios.

PBA ALL-STAR IMAGES (Gawad Kalinga House Painting)

PBA IMAGE 1 - Gawad Kalinga Painting at Barangay Cikcikan, Puerto Princesa City headed by PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Alternate Governor Carlo Quevada. The PBA All-Star Delegations painted a total of 14 houses who is sponsored/provided by Rain or Shine.

PBA IMAGE 2 - PBA All-Stars; Jay-Jay Helterbrand of Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings, Ranidel De Ocampo of Talk n Text Tropang Texters and Sol Mercado of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters all having fun painting one of the 14 houses at Gawad Kalinga houses in Brgy. Cikcikan Puerto Princesa City.

YAP, NORWOOD ARTADI SEEK TITLE REPEAT

JAMES Yap and Gabe Norwood spice up the 2010 PBA All-Star festivity as they try to score back-to-back in their respective events in the skills competition side of the three-day mid-season spectacle the city of Puerto Princesa is hosting for the first time.

      

Yap, the former league MVP and top gunner of B-Meg Derby Ace, seeks a second straight three-point shootout title over a strong 10-man field that includes two former champions in Dondon Hontiveros of San Miguel Beer and Air21’s RenRen Ritualo.

      

On the other hand, the high-leaping Norwood, last season’s Rookie of the Year from Rain or Shine, defends his slam dunk crown against a tough cast that boasts of three-time champion KG Canaleta of Derby Ace and former titlist Kelly Williams of Sta. Lucia.

      

Set April 23-25, the annual classic will again feature the North vs. South classic, with Yap leading the way for the South after emerging as the player with the most number of fan votes as a starter. Norwood meanwhile, suits up for the North squad as a last minute replacement for the injured Kerby Raymundo.

      

Derby Ace back-up point guard Paul Artadi will also be back to defend the Obstacle Challenge title. Among his toughest competition are Willie Miller of Alaska, Ronjay Buenafe of Air 21 and Solomon Mercado of Rain or Shine.

      

Also entered in the same skills event are Barako Energy Coffee’ s Jojo Duncil,  Chris Ross of Coca-Cola, Jason Castro of Talk `N Text, San Miguel’s Jonas Villanueva, Josh Urbiztondo of Sta. Lucia , White of Alaska and either Peter June Simon or Timberlake for Derby Ace.

       

Challenging Yap in the long distance shootout aside from Ritualo and Hontiveros  are Jimmy Alapag of Talk `N Text, Tenorio, Urbiztondo, Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan, Mark Macapagal of Coke, Barako Coffee’s Yousif Aljamal and Barangay Ginebra’s Ronald Tubid.

      

Yap beat out Hontiveros in last year’s shootout to win his first three-point contest title in the league.

      

And Norwood?   Other than Canaleta and Williams, the charismatic guard out of George Mason University also has to contend with the likes of Talk `N Text’s Jared Dillinger, rookie Rico Maierhofer of Derby Ace and Barangay Ginebra’s JC Intal.

      

Norwood edged out  Canaleta in their duke out a year ago, with Williams skipping the slam competition after suffering a blood disorder.

      

But the Rain or Shine stalwart lost to Ginebra import and 2000 U.S. NCAA slam dunk champion David Noel in their dunk off.

PBA ALL-STAR PUERTO PRINCESA (SLAMDUNK IMAGES)

 Awarding the champion Nino Canaleta of BMEG are Commissioner Sonny Barrios and Mayor Hagedorn's wife, Ma.Elena Marcelo Hagedorn.

HAGEDORN: WARM WELCOME AWAITS PBA ALL-STARS

A warm welcome amidst a festive atmosphere awaits the PBA All-Stars delegation in the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which plays hosts to the annual spectacle for the very first time this weekend.

The PBA contingent will arrive in this tourist haven Thursday afternoon.

      

Staging the mid-season classic, according to Mayor Edward Hagedorn, has been a cherished dream of the province as it longed to showcase the hospitality of the Palawenos, and at the same time, promote the city as an emerging sports tourism capital in the country.

      

The All-Star festivity is set from April 23 to 25 with the competition reverting back to its old old format pitting the North against the South.

      

“For a long time now, the people of Puerto Princesa have been longing to host the PBA All-Star game. Kaya naman ako ay nagagalak na nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na maging punong abala ng 2010 PBA All-Stars,” Hagedorn said.

      

The popular mayor said so highly-anticipated the event is that he expects a full-house crowd at the 10,000-seating capacity Puerto Princesa Coliseum for the All-Star game itself.

      

“Mainit na mainit na hinihintay na ito ng mamamayan ng Puerto Princesa,” he added.

      

The All-Star hoopla is the latest sports event Puerto Princesa is hosting, having staged the likes of Palarong Pambansa, Asian cycling championships, the boxing Olympic qualifying meet, a leg of the Petron Ladies beach volleyball tournament and even a slew of PBA games in the past

      

At the same time, the province will be taking the opportunity to showcase the beauty and potential of Palawan as a possible sports tourism capital, especially with its famous underground river among the 28 finalists for the Seven New Wonders of the World.

      

“Wala kaming mga industrial companies, mining o logging dito. Ang tangi naming maipagmamalaki ay ang aaming turismo. So sana maging daan ang All-Star upang mai-promote namin ang Palawan bilang sports tourism capital ng bansa.

      

Derby Ace stalwart and top fan choice James Yap and Kelly Williams lead a South team seeking to score a repeat over its North counterpart, bannered by JayJay Helterbrand and Mark Pingris, following its 163-158 win in overtime two years ago in Bacolod City.

The North vs South All-Star Game is scheduled on Sunday at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum.

Other highlights of the three-day mid-summer spectacle are the Rookies vs Sophomore Blitz Game as well as the skills events – 3-point shootout, slam dunk contest, obstacle challenge --  which will take place on Friday. 

LOGO FOR THE 2010 PBA-ALL STAR WEEKEND ON APRIL 23-25 IN PUERTO PRINCESA CITY

Air21 vs. Alaska images

PBA IMAGE 1 - Willie Miller protecting the ball from Doug Kramer

PBA IMAGE 2 - Sonny Thoss with a nice fake on Air21 new import Jason Forte.

PBA IMAGE 3 - Diamon Simsom goes for the reverse shot over Doug Kramer.

PBA IMAGE 4 - Ronnie Matias fouls Alaska's import Diamon Simsom on a fastbreak play

PBA IMAGE 5 - Willie Miller penetrates the defense of Beau Belga

PBA IMAGE 6 - Ronjay Buenafe shoots over Tony Dela Cruz bit Diamon Simson was at his back to block his shot

Salud to grace Foundation Week

Luminaries from the birth year of the Philippine Basketball
Association will continue to cast their glitter as the league’s 35th
Foundation Week celebration comes to a climactic end Sunday at the
Araneta Coliseum.

Former PBA commissioner Rodrigo ‘Rudy’ Salud, the brilliant
lawyer-sportsman who served as legal counsel to founding PBA
commissioner Leo Prieto in 1975 after nine ballclubs banded to form
Asia’s first professional basketball league, will grace the affair
along with members of the Toyota and U-Tex teams.

The man who sat at the helm of the PBA during its golden years from
1988 to 1991 is expected to be joined by Commissioner Sonny Barrios
and other league officials in welcoming invited pioneers led by Robert
Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, and Ompong from Toyota, and
Danny Basilan, Egay Gomez, and Roy Deles from U-Tex, two of the four
teams which played a double-header on opening day on April 9.

The PBA awaits confirmation of some of the players’ presence,
including Fernandez, but legendary Crispa Redmanizer hotshot Fortunato
Co, who played in the PBA's maiden season, has sent word of his
arrival.

Also invited is William ‘Bogs’ Adornado, the league’s first MVP awardee.

Barrios, along with former commissioner Jun Bernardino and legal
counsel Butch Cleofe, both of whom have passed away, has said often
that Salud has been their “mentor” in the PBA and “big brother” on a
personal level.

“Early on in my career, he impressed upon me the need for the
commissioner to make decisions with competence, objectivity, and a
high sense of fairness based on the PBA constitution and by-laws and
playing rules,” said Barrios, named the seventh commissioner two years
ago.

“You can't go wrong, Sonny, if you approach issues that way,” Barrios
recalled being told by Salud, who immortalized the line “the interest
of the PBA fan is paramount.”

The one responsible for crafting not only the charter of the PBA but
also that of the World Boxing Council, Salud also pointed out, Barrios
said, that “I should be prepared, when necessary, to have the resolve
to be firm on decisions as Commissioner, especially on controversial
issues, as not all decisions by the Commissioner are popular.”

“He is a pillar of the PBA,” Barrios added. “The PBA is indeed
fortunate to have Comm. Rudy Salud as an integral part of its
foundation and formative years.”

2009-10 Jr. NBA National Training Camp tips off; BJ Armstrong, Coach Frank Lopez, PBA Legends run basketball boot camp for top 40 kids

The 2009-10 Jr. NBA Philippines Program presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins reaches its climax this weekend at the Jose Rizal University Gym with the National Training Camp attended by 40 of the most promising young cagers of the land.



US Jr. NBA coach Frank Lopez, NBA Legend BJ Armstrong, formerly of the Chicago Bulls, PBA Legends Ronnie Magsanoc, Benjie Paras, Elmer Cabahug and Cadel Mosqueda will run the camp for the boys aged 12-14 who topped their respective regional selection camps in Cebu, Davao and Manila last March. NBA Asia Senior Vice President and Managing Director Scott Levy is in town to tip off the event.



The NCR and Luzon finalists are: Javier Ricardo Consunji, Emilio Puno and Ferdinand Ravena III from Ateneo de Manila, Kyle Carlos, Mark Framil and Jeremiah Vizmonte of La Salle Green Hills, Alfred Sojulga and Henri Lorenzo Subido of Lourdes School Mandaluyong, Ranbill Angelo Tongco, Hans Sison and Cyle Jowee Lopez of San Beda College, Carl Bueno and Alvin Gerard Ungria of the University of Santo Tomas, Hubert Cani of the University of the East Grade School, Lorenzo Fernando Navarro of St. Francis School, Thristan Laman of Sta Clara School of Antipolo, Shawn Brian Sabordo of the Pateros Catholic School, Noel Joseph Perez of Nineveh Academy of General Trias, Cavite, Arvin Angeles, Jr. of Valenzuela and Lance Villanueva of Marist School, Marikina.


They will face Cebu kids Lorenzo Carampatana, Jarek Mercado, Jessineth Stephen Wahing and Patrick Nigel Go from the Sacred Heart School of the Society of Jesus; John Agustin Pajantoy and Mitchel Vincent Antigua from the University of San Carlos; Bryan Edward Villaruz and Jorine Cercado from the Ateneo de Iloilo; Kirell Brahndon Montalbo from Taytung High School in Bacolod and Noel Villaceran from the San Roque Child Development School in Lapu Lapu City.

Davao kids Henry Asilum and Jefferson James Roxas of the Holy Child School of Davao, Miguel Competente of St. Paul College, Earl Nicole Hiso, Israel Dave Remolar and Carlo Lino Araguez of Stella Maris Academy of Davao, Miguel Paolo Gancio and Sean Patigue of the Ateneo de Davao, Al Rashid Indin of Daniel R Aguinaldo National High School and Troy Senen Macariñas of EMAR Davao City will show that Mindanaoans share the same passion and basketball skills that their Luzon and Visayas counterparts have. The boys are currently billeted at Marriott Manila.

From April 16-18, the young hopefuls will undergo a basketball boot camp that will test their basketball skills, strength, stamina and character via conditioning workouts, transition drills, skills stations and competitive games. Also highlighted in the three-day training camp are the Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect, alongside seminars on proper diet, hydration and supplementation.

On Sunday, April 18, the best eight campers will be chosen from the 40 participants and will be known as the 2009-10 Jr. NBA Philippines Team.


The Jr. NBA program became a nationwide program this year, with camps and clinics held in the NCR, Visayas and Mindanao, reaching over 300 schools across the country and benefiting over 30,000 students, parents and school coaches. Over 130,000 fans experienced the Jr. NBA program via Open Clinics held in Manila last February. All stages of the program are completely free.



The Jr. NBA Philippines effort is presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins with the support of Official Sports Drink Gatorade, Official Broadcast Partner Basketball TV, Official Automobile Partner Mitsubishi Motors, Official Hotel Marriott Manila, Official Mall Partner SM Supermalls, Official Supplier Spalding, and the Department of Education.

For more information about the Jr. NBA Philippines Program, go to the Jr. NBA event website www.nba.com/jrnba/philippines. Every stage of the program is completely free.

30


About Hi-Smart Multivitamins and New Marketlink
Hi-Smart Multivitamins is marketed by New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, one of the leading national pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines. New Marketlink seeks to become the preferred marketing partner of a variety of international healthcare companies in providing Filipinos with specialized, high quality and value-for-money medicines and health products.

New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, fueled and propelled by the holding company, TAO Corporation, is poised to undertake bold moves to further establish the new company as a respected leader in the pharmaceutical industry and become a valuable component of TAO Corporation’s mission of building communities and people.

New Marketlink supports the Jr. NBA program by providing Hi-Smart Multivitamins products which assist in the physical and mental development of kids and teenagers who want to achieve their basketball dreams and to help them become a Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. on and off the court.

About the NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 83 international players from 36 countries and territories on NBA rosters. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

# # #


Issued by NBA Asia, Limited. For more information, please contact:

NBA
Ip Kam Hung Phone: 852-2843 9628 E-mail: khip@nba.com
Larc&Asset PR
Tessa Jazmines Phone: 63-917 526 1369 E-mail: tessa@larcandasset.com

BARRIOS DEFERS ACTION ON ARBOLEDA'S APPEAL

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios has deferred until the end of the month any action on the appeal made by Air 21 veteran guard Wynne Arboleda to lift his suspension.

Barrios met with Arboleda at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City yesterday to talk about his case. The latter submitted to the Commissioner’s Office a letter of appeal last March 25, 2010 along with a letter of support signed by by the 10 PBA team captains.

Before a decision on the appeal can be handed down, Barrios said his Office will still have to review and study the merits of the appeal, as well as get an update on the legal cases.

The Commissioner’s Office likewise asked for documentation and validation of the community service Arboleda claimed he has participated in since he was suspended in October 2009 due to an unfortunate incident involving a fan.

The wily court general, in his appeal, said that he was part of basketball clinics for children in Metro Manila and Laguna and also assisted in Airfreight’s 2100’s medical mission in Kalibo, Aklan, blood donations to the Red Cross and other relief operations.

In fact, Arboleda is also scheduled to join other outreach activities in the future, mostly involving children.

Nokia NBTC regionals start

The Nokia National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League regional finals will open on April 7 (Wednesday) at the Bethel Gym in Lucena City for South Luzon and on April 14 at the SBMA gym in Olongapo City for the North Luzon qualifiers.

Survivors of the inter-city qualifiers in South Luzon are Batangas-BBL (Batangas), Hi-Smart Bacoor (Cavite), QPL (Lucena) and ABC Ideas (Bicol) in this 18-and-under tournament backed by Nokia Philippines and TAO Corporation under the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas headed by Manny Pangilinan and executive director Noli Eala.

Battling for the North Luzon bragging rights and berths in the national finals are Star Margarine (Baguio), Mayor Pablo-SLC (La Union), Smart Pampanga (Pampanga), Smart Olongapo (Olongapo) and Blue Boy Nepo (Angeles City) in the event also backed by San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Smart Communications and Burlington.

Still to be completed are the qualifiers’ list for the Visayas regionals set April 21-23 at Dumaguete City and Mindanao regionals on April 28-30 in Cagayan de Oro City.

“The matches are getting even more exciting for those teams which qualified in the regionals. But those teams that did not make it to the next level have already won because of the basketball training that these teams got and can pass on to respective communities,”said Nokia NBTC D-League director Eric Altamirano, who also using the tournament to screen future hopefuls to the Nokia RP U-18 team that will do battle in the Fiba U-18 Championships set in September.

“The aim remains the same and that is to develop the fundamentals of these players and get them ready for upper level basketball,”Altamirano added.

A total of 108 teams have entered the tournament that started only last December with all participants, both players and coaches, learning from the unified training program instituted by the organizers headed by training director Alex Compton.

The Nokia NBTC D-League, which virtually serves as a grassroots program in the country, aims to develop top-notch players geared towards the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Philippine Basketball League (PBL), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Liga Pilipinas.

JAWORSKI AND CO. INVITED AS PBA CELEBRATES 35TH ANNIVERSARY

Players from four of the nine pioneering ballclubs of the Philippine
Basketball Association will be making a rare appearance in a reunion
date next week to highlight the league’s 35th Foundation Week
celebration set April 9-18.

“This will be the highlight of the entire Foundation Week
celebration,” said PBA Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios. “We will be turning back the hands of time and paying tribute to these greats that evening.”

On April 9, 1975, an estimated crowd of 18,000 packed the Araneta
Coliseum for a double-header that saw Mariwasa Noritake turn back
Concepcion Carrier, 101-98, and Toyota edge U-Tex, 105-101.

Mariwasa was led by American import Cisco Oliver – he of the classic
Alaska Milk commercial – who scored 48 points followed by the 17 of
former Crispa Redmanizer great Adriano ‘Jun’ Papa.

Jimmy Noblezada, to be christened later as Iron Man, poured 24 points for Concepcion while Jimmy Mariano added 17. Joy Dionisio, who scored the PBA’s first basket, had 10 points.

Mariwasa took the first quarter, 29-21, and never trailed at the end
of the next three periods.

In the main game, fast break finisher Ompong Segura scored 23 points for the Comets and Francis ‘Mr. Clutch’ Arnaiz added 22, Big Boy Reynoso 17, Ramon Fernandez 13, and Robert Jaworski 11 points in a wildly applauded debut by Toyota.

Leading U-Tex was Larry Mumar and Danny Florencio, another Redmanizer legend, with 29 points each backstopped by former Crispa mainstay Rudolf Kutch with 13 points.

Both teams were tied at the close of the first 12 minutes and the game went down the wire before Toyota emerged victorious in the end.

Invited to the reunion bash are players from Mariwasa, including
Hubert Filipinas, Jesse Sullano, Luke Dacula Dator, Epoy Alcantara,
Mark Arriola, Edmund Tierra and Ulysses Rodriguez.

Expected from Concepion, other than Noblezada, Mariano and Dionisio, are Alfonso Mora, Lucio Lim, Ramon Lucindo, Roel Deles, Jesus Dungo and Francisco Henares.

From Toyota, outside Segura, Arnaiz, Fernandez and Jaworski, are Oscar Rocha, Jake Rojas and Orly Bauzon, while Danny Basilan, Egay Gomez, Romeo Frank, Roy Deles, George Lizares and Orlando delos Santos are to be welcomed from U-Tex.

The above players and their teammates are requested to call the PBA office and get in touch with Coy Perez at 470-2768 to 70 for their
availability and schedule.

PBA celebrates 35th anniversary

A weeklong filled with prizes and surprises mark the 35th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

The fun starts on April 9 - the same date Asia's first ever play for pay league held its first ever double header - with Derby Ace and Air21 squaring off in a potentially explosive main game match up at the Cuneta Astrodome, before it winds down on April 18 highlighted by the showdown between Barangay Ginebra and defending Fiesta Cup champion San Miguel at the Araneta Coliseum.

A series of activities has been lined up by the league during that one-week stretch, including the reunion of members of the four teams (Mariwasa-Noritake, Concepcion, U-Tex and Toyota) that saw action during the league's inaugural games in 1975.

The PBA is trying to arrange the appearance of remaining players from each ball clubs in every game date of the week long celebration, including cage greats Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski Sr.

Big prizes ranging from laptops and television sets are also to be given away while cash prizes for the PBA Bingo Bola will also be increased.

Special guest performers at halftime of each game day will also spice up the league's anniversary presentation.

"We want to make our 35th anniversary celebration simple yet entertaining and fulfilling especially to basketball fans who have been our life blood and the major reason why the PBA has remained as the country's top sports entertainment throughout these years," said league commission Renauld `Sonny' Barrios.

Spitfire guard Joy Dionisio of Concepcion Carrier herald the beginning of the oldest professional league in Asia when he nailed a short jumper for the very first basket in PBA history back in 1975.

A crowd of 18,000 filled every nook and crany of the Araneta Coliseum 35 years ago and witnessed Mariwasa, led by American Cisco Oliver of the Alaska Milk commercial fame, drubbed Concepcion Carrier, 101-98.

Oliver topscored for 48 points, but also held the dubious record of committing the league's first ever violation when he was caught stepping on the line.

Behind the 23 points of Ompong Segura and 22 from Francis Arnaiz, Toyota edged out Universal Textile in the main game, 105-101.