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.