Kevin Love to visit Manila on June 21 for Master Game Face Challenge

MANILA, Philippines – NBA All-Star and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love is expected to be present in Year 2 of the Master Game Face Challenge that will be held on June 21, Saturday, at 7:00PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The news was announced during the Master Game Face Community Night last Saturday, May 31, at Skinny Mike’s Sports Bar in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Now in its second year, the Master Game Face Challenge will feature a basketball match between some of the best PBA, UAAP, and NCAA hoopsters in the country led by Marc Pingris and Chris Tiu.

Expected to headline Tiu’s club are reigning UAAP Finals MVP Jeron Teng, Ateneo stalwart Chris Newsome, FEU playmarker Mike Tolomia, and UST’s two-way wingman Kevin Ferrer. NCAA players Rome Dela Rosa of San Beda, Mark Cruz of Letran, and Zach Nichols of Arellano are also expected to don Team Chris jerseys.

“Fans are going to have a great time seeing such powerhouse players in the Master Game Face All-Star Basketball Challenge this year, and I’m especially happy to be able to play with such talented young blood and with other professional basketball players,” states Chris Tiu, whose club came up short in last year’s game.

Master’s new addition to the Game Face challenge, Marc Pingris, shared his counterpart’s sentiment regarding the event: “I’m excited to start playing with my team. We hope to put up a great game against our opponents and to show young athletes how to put their Game Faces on with Master.”

Pingris will team up with big man Andre Paras of UP, the explosive Roi Sumang of UE, and talented mainstays Jericho Cruz and Jeoffrey Javillonar of Adamson and NU, respectively. From the NCAA side, the ever-popular San Beda Red Lion Baser Amer will also be part of Team Marc, along with Letran’s Kevin Racal and Mapua’s Josan Nimes.

All aforementioned UAAP players will be in the starting lineups of each club.

Fans will also have the liberty to vote for which PBA players they want to participate in the matchup at The Big Dome. By visiting the Master Philippines Facebook Page, everyone can select which guys will make it by voting through the Master All-Star App.

Here are the following players that are available to enter the contest: Ranidel De Ocampo, Mark Barroca, Larry Fonacier, Paul Artadi, Jimmy Alapag, Mike Cortez, Cliff Hodge, Jeff Chan, Gary David, Jeric Teng, Alex Nuyles, and Jared Dillinger. The selected players will be revealed on the Master Game Face Challenge Draft Day on June 7, Saturday, at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

It is unclear yet how big of a role Love will play in the event. – Rappler.com