What are Romeo, Pingris, Yap excited about most in PBA All-Star Game?

MANILA, Philippines – Terrence Romeo, Marc Pingris, and James Yap are all looking forward to playing once again in this year’s PBA All-Star Game on August 7, which will be the highlight of the All-Star Weekend from August 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Romeo and Pingris will be playing for the North team together with Mark Caguioa, Calvin Abueva, and Japeth Aguilar. While Yap leads the South team with June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, and Joe Devance.

Greg Slaughter was voted into the South starting lineup but announced he won’t be playing as he recovers from ankle surgery.

But what are Pingris, Romeo, and Yap most looking forward to about the All-Star Game?

The 24-year-old Romeo, who will be playing in his second All-Star Game, is quite keen on getting photographed beside his idols.

“Excited siyempre tsaka kailangan ‘yung mga photographer. Didikit ako kila kuya Mark (Caguioa), kailangan ma-picture-an ulit nila ako nang ma-picture-an doon (I’m excited of course and I need the photographers. I’ll be sticking close to guys like Mark Caguioa, I need them to take photos of me with them),” Romeo cheerfully shared Sunday, July 24.

“Siyempre, iba ‘yun, iba ‘yung mga Mark Caguioa, Marc Pingris, tsaka sila kuya Japeth (Aguilar). Excited na ako para pasayahin ang mga tao, at sana mapasaya namin sila.“

(Of course those players are no joke. Mark Caguioa, Marc Pingris, Japeth Aguilar, they’re not like regular players. I’m excited to entertain fans, I hope we make them happy.)

And what of once again clinching the All-Star Game MVP plum for the second consecutive year?

“Hindi, hindi. Wala sa isip ko na kunin ang MVP or what (No, no. I don’t think about getting the MVP or what),” Romeo said. “Basta laro lang (I’ll just play), enjoy, have fun.“

Dream come true

Romeo, though, shares one other reason for excitement with North and Gilas Pilipinas teammate Pingris – both players are eager to play under fiery coach Yeng Guiao.

“Sa totoo lang, walang biro, ito yung pangarap ko na natupad: gusto ko siyang maging coach,” said the 34-year-old Pingris, a 12-time All-Star. “Ito talaga, natupad talaga, hindi ko akalain na siya ang coach.”

(Seriously, no joke, this is my dream come true: I really wanted him to be my coach. This is it, my dream has come true, I didn’t think he’d be my coach.)

There is plenty of irony in Pingris’ dream, considering he has waged many heated battles against Guiao over the years. One might remember Guiao leading his team out of the court and threatening to walk out in Game 6 of the 2014 Philippine Cup Finals – this after Guiao’s ward JR Quiñahan was whistled for a foul on Pingris.

And Pingris isn’t the only unlikely player Guiao will handle at the All-Star game with other fierce on-court rivals Abueva, Aguilar, Caguioa, and even Romeo. Realizing this, Guiao previously joked that his North starters are his “best friends.”

“Best friend ko rin naman siya e, 2006 pa (He’s my best friend as well, since 2006),” Pingris reacted to Guiao’s comment.

Both Romeo and Pingris will be eyeing to fulfill Guiao’s call to have fun, but also to win.

“Alam naman natin si coach Yeng, coach na gusto niya lagi manalo yung team nya so kung ano ipapagawa niya, gagawin namin (We all know coach Yeng, he’s the coach that always wants his team to win so whatever he wants us to do, we’ll do it),” said Romeo.

‘South will win this time’

Meanwhile, Yap is heading into his 13th All-Star Game with the mindset that his South team, comprised of players born in Visayas and Mindanao will finally win over the North, whose players are from Luzon.

“Kami naman [mananalo] ngayon,” declared the 34-year-old Yap, a native of Negros Occidental.

The South All-Stars are currently on a 3-game losing streak to the North and last won the game in 2008 after overtime, where Yap’s Star Hotshots teammate PJ Simon was All-Star MVP.

Yap has been playing the All-Star Game in every single season of his PBA career, and he feels nothing less than grateful for fans constantly putting him on the lineup.

“Gusto kong magpasalamat sa lahat ng bumoto sa akin. Simula nung rookie year ko nilagay na nila ako sa starting 5 ng South. Salamat sa kanilang lahat,” he said.

“Sana pumunta sila, manood sila sa All-Star. ‘Yung All-Star kasi para sa mga fans, parang binabalik natin yung suporta nila sa PBA. So huwag siyang mahihiyang lapitan kami magpa-picture sila sa amin, para sa kanila ‘to.”

(I want to thank everyone who voted for me. Since my rookie year they’ve put me on the starting 5 of the South. Thank you to all of them. I hope they come, watch the All-Star. The All-Star is for the fans, we give back their support to the PBA. So they shouldn’t be shy to approach us and ask for photos, this is for them.) – Rappler.com