Ex-PBA vets get coaching stints in celebrity All-Star games

MANILA, Philippines — Star Magic swept a pair of exciting basketball matches in its 2024 All-Star Games on Sunday before an electric crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Star Magic Shooting Stars Red, led by playing coach Gerald Anderson, shattered It’s Showtime’s “three-peat” bid after dominating the main event with a rousing 85-74 victory.

The red team, which was also coached by former PBA player Emman Monfort, unleashed a balanced attack with Young JV Capunan emerging as the MVP with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

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Lance Carr and Argel Saycon also shone for the Anderson-coached squad with 19 and 18 points, respectively, ending the noontime show’s two-year reign.

Capunan, Carr, and Saycon led the second basketball game’s Mythical 5 with It’s Showtimes Derrick Hubalde and Ion Perez, who led their team with 20 and 14 points, respectively.

Arwind Santos, whose jersey No. 29 was recently retired by the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA, was part of It’s Showtime’s coaching staff while JC De Vera also stepped up with 14 points and five assists. 

Ronnie Alonte played two matches and emerged as the MVP of the first basketball game with Star Magic Shooting Stars Blue but lost his second with It’s Showtime, where he tallied 13 points and seven rebounds.

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In the first game, Alonte fired 27 points off four triples, conspiring with Donny Pangilinan’s double-double to lead the Shooting Stars Blue’s 88-76 win over Cong’s Anbilibabol Basketball — the squad of famous YouTubers Team Payaman.

Pangilinan tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists for Star Magic, which also drew five rebounds and four assists from Alonte.

Alonte and Pangilinan led the Mythical Five with their teammate Isaiah Dela Cruz, who had four-of-six shooting. Anbilibabol’s Nelson Mendoza unleashed a tournament-high 34 points, while  Cris Lagudas tallied 12 points and a game-high 22 rebounds to complete the individual awardees.

Cong Velasquez, the face of Team Payaman, called the shots for his squad and also saw action with five points, two rebounds, and an assist as the fans enjoyed the cameos of ABS-CBN actress Belle Mariano and vlogger Krissy Achino, who checked in the final seconds of the game and shot free throws.

BINI, the nation’s rising girl group, stole the show, making the whole Big Dome scream and groove during its halftime performance of its hit songs Karera and Pantropiko.