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CANDON CITY — The PBA ArenaPlus All-Star Weekend opened with fireworks as the Rookies/Sophomores squad outlasted the Juniors, 154–150, in a high-scoring showcase Friday night at the packed Candon City Arena.
Jerom Lastimosa stole the spotlight, orchestrating a blistering fourth-quarter rally that finally allowed the Rookies/Sophomores to create breathing room in a game that had been tight from start to finish.
The Magnolia sophomore guard delivered a dazzling performance, finishing with 27 points and 10 assists. His most electrifying moment came when he lofted a perfectly timed alley-oop pass to a soaring Kai Ballungay, who slammed it home with an emphatic two-handed dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Lastimosa’s all-around brilliance earned him the Most Valuable Player honors of the All-Star side event, along with a P50,000 cash prize.
“Sobrang happy ako kasi kahit hindi naman kami teammates, selection lang kami, pero kahit papaano, yung laro namin as team talaga,” Lastimosa said after the game, praising the squad’s chemistry despite being a mix of players from different teams.
Brandon Ramirez also turned in a stellar outing, posting a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Ballungay chipped in 20 points and seven boards, while veteran Arwind Santos proved he can still keep up with the younger generation, finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds while helping steady the team during the closing stretch.
The victory handed the Rookies/Sophomores team a total of P250,000 in prize money, including P50,000 from a runner-up finish in the dance contest held during the festivities.
The Juniors squad, however, refused to go quietly. Ricci Rivero exploded for a game-high 30 points, while Schonny Winston added 29 in a relentless offensive effort that kept the contest within striking distance until the final buzzer.
Despite the loss, the Juniors still went home with P175,000 in total prize money after winning the dancefest competition worth P75,000.
The thrilling curtain-raiser set the tone for the rest of the PBA All-Star Weekend, which will culminate in Sunday’s much-anticipated main event.
Scores:
Rookies/Sophomores 154 – Lastimosa 27, Ramirez 26, Ballungay 20, Panopio 17, Barefield 14, Santos 14, Torres 9, Estil 8, Bravo 8, C. Miller 4, W. Miller 4, Malonzo 3, Lemetti 0.
Juniors 150 – Rivero 30, Winston 29, Tuffin 23, Garcia 15, Caralipio 9, Aurin 8, Cu 7, Bates 7, Pingris 6, Flores 5, Galinato 4, Fajardo 4, Yu 3, De Ocampo 0.
Quarters: 32–35, 63–64, 112–105, 154–150.