Two teams made up of Mindanao-born stars will be duking it out in another unique offering by the PBA to spice up its 2025 All-Star festivities in Davao.
Instead of the Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors (RSJ) Game that’s been in place in recent years, the aforementioned affair will serve as the first of two exhibition matches that highlight the annual midseason extravaganza set May 2-4.
“Bumuo tayo ng dalawang team sa Mindanao. Ang daming players ng Mindanao eh, naka-20 or 24 players ata tayo,” Commissioner Willie Marcial said Monday shortly after the PBA’s 50th anniversary logo reveal at Cignal Launchpad.
Expected to be shoo-ins in the first-of-its-kind game are 2022 league MVP Scottie Thompson and veteran playmaker Mark Barroca.
The Barangay Ginebra star hails from Digos in Davao del Sur, while the Magnolia cornerstone is a proud son of Zamboanga City.
Others that could take part in the game dedicated to the league’s Mindanaoan fanbase are Cagayan de Oro natives Poy Erram of TNT and NorthPort floor general Jio Jalalon, as well as the Kings’ Nards Pinto of Davao City.
“Paglalaruin natin para masiyahan din yung mga tao sa Mindanao,” stated Marcial as the PBA will holds its first All-Stars in Davao since 2018.
Still, the league ensured that its young stars will be involved in the event by bringing back the classic Veterans versus RSJ for its All-Star Game.
It marks the said format’s return after 13 years, or since the Veterans dealt the RSJ a 176-144 rout in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte in a game that witnessed James Yap and Dylan Ababou drop 44 points each for their respective teams.
The last two All-Star Games imitated the NBA All-Star format, where the top two vote-getters are named captains and will choose their teammates through a special draft. Barroca and Japeth Aguilar were the captains last year.
“Baka nananawa na ‘yung tao sa drafting. Tingnan natin kung anong makakaganda. Kung hindi, babalik naman yung dati,” Marcial said.
“Katulad nito, ‘yung Mindanao game, bago ‘to, tingnan namin kung anong feel ng mga fans natin kasi boboto rin sila ng gusto nila roon,” he added.
It is likely, too, that the 2025 All-Stars will be held in two different venues, with the Friday events — including the all-Mindanao game — to be played in Davao City and the Sunday ASG in Panabo City, said the league chieftain.
“Bale ‘yung Friday sa Davao City tapos ‘yung main event, sa Panabo. So malamang, ganun,” said Marcial, who’s been in office since 2018.
The All-Star side events are still in discussion. While there will be the traditional Three-Point Shootout, the Commissioner’s Office is still mulling whether or not it reinstates the Slam Dunk Contest.
It could be recalled that the competition featuring the league’s highflyers were shelved last year and was replaced by the Three-Point Shootout among big men, which saw Meralco’s Raymond Almazan take home the crown.
The 2025 PBA All-Star voting began last February 5, where fans can cast their votes either on-site during the games or through the league’s website.
