Author: John Michael Decierdo Agustin
Photo Credit: MPBL
All the bright stars of the North and South divisions of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) meet in the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga, City for the 2024 MPBL All-Star game.
All-Star Game MVP: McAloney Leads North Past South
3-time MPBL All-Star Will McAloney of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards wins the All-Star game Most Valuable Player honors over Pampanga’s Justine Baltazar. McAloney had a terrific night, posting 20 points and 8 rebounds, leading the North All-Stars past the Southerners, 95-91.
Baltazar was also everywhere on the court, putting up 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, while San Juan’s three-point specialist Orlan Wamar Jr. contributed with 4 threes, finishing 12 points in total.
The South, a team that is relatively smaller compared to the towers of the North (i.e. Greg Slaughter, Rabeh Al-Husaini, and Justine Baltazar), kept the matchup very close behind Batangas’ Cedrick Ablaza’s 12 points and Mindoro’s Jhon Jerrick Caspe’s 11 points. Meanwhile, former PBA player, Cebuano star Mac Tallo also gathered 8 points.
The North was also the winner of the 2023 MPBL All-Star game in Bataan.
3-point King Orlan Wamar Reclaims Three-point Contest Crown
Aside from putting the San Juan Knights on top of the standings, Orlan Wamar Jr. also manages to bring home his 2nd Xtreme three-point shootout victory.
Wamar, alongside his San Juan teammate, AC Soberano, and Sarangani Marlins’ Ryan Sual made the finals of the event. However, Wamar secured the trophy with 16 points over Soberano’s 14 and Sual’s 12.
Manny Pacquiao Wins Third Consecutive Executives’ Game MVP
Meanwhile, South Executives destroys the North behind a combination of 73 points from Manny Pacquiao and Kaizer Galvez, 108-91. Pacquiao, the 45-year-old MPBL CEO, and founder, wins his third consecutive Executives All-Star game MVP award with his 39-point performance, including his highlight of 8 long bombs.
Pampanga’s Joe Gomez De Liaño Dethrones CJ Gania In The Slam Dunk Showdown
One of the Gomez de Liaño siblings highlights the Zamboanga MPBL All-Star event on Saturday after a remarkable performance to dethrone Negros Muscovados forward CJ Gania for the Slam Dunk Contest King.
The Scores:
- All-Star Game North vs. South (95-91)
- Executives’ Game North vs. South (91-108)
