With reigning NCAA Slam Dunk king Jebb Bulawan forced out of this year’s competition due to a shoulder injury, a new champion will be crowned on Friday, August 12 at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Two of the favorites to win the crown in the league’s all-star extravaganza are College of Saint Benilde’s Yankie Haruna and Arellano University’s Lervin Flores.
Haruna is no stranger to the competition. A year ago, the Filipino-American awed the crowd and the judges with a windmill jam and a between-the-legs dunk. However, his heads-up showdown with Bulawan tired the Iloilo-born forward, surrendering the competition to the Lyceum big man.
“I’m always ready man,” Haruna told Tiebreaker Times about the competition. “Hopefully, I take it this year.”
One of the obstacles standing in his way is high-leaping Arellano forward Lervin Flores. Flores, a transferee from Our Lady of Fatima University, has displayed his dunking prowess all throughout the season, including a posterization of Lyceum’s MJ Ayaay a week ago.
The 23-year-old admitted that he had been preparing for this one-day event.
“Matagal ko ng pinaghahandaan ito,” the Pampanga native said.
A wildcard in the competition is 6’10” foreign student-athlete Eugene Toba of San Beda’s Team Behold.
Completing the field are Sidney Onwubere of EAC, Allyn Bulanadi of San Sebastian, Kim Aurin of JRU, Renato Ular of Letran, Jaycee Marcelino of Lyceum, and Rommel Mangalino of Perpetual. Mapua did not enter a player for the competition.
