PBA All-Star festivities get going in Boracay

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MANILA—Chot Reyes has won two straight titles with his Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters this season. And it would be nice to add the PBA All-Star game to his trophy case.

The TNT mentor will lead the South team’s payback bid against the stars from the North in the centerpiece show of the “Hala Bola PBA 2011 All-Star Weekend” set to fire off today in Boracay.

Reyes, now a four-time all-star coach, will have a deep pool of stars at his disposal.

The South squad, out to redeem itself from a 130-133 loss to the North last year, will be bannered by league MVP James Yap, the highest vote-getter in the mid-season spectacle, Jay Washington, Cyrus Baguio and TNT’s Jimmy Alapag and Kelly Williams.

Reyes, whose Tropang Texters bagged the Philippine Cup, nailed his second title in a row two weeks ago at the expense of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in six games of their best-of-seven series in the import-laced Commissioner’s Cup.

Another crown in the Governor’s Cup set to begin next month and Reyes will complete a grand slam, something no coach has won in the last 15 years.

Alaska’s Tim Cone was the last coach to score a grand slam when his Aces swept the 1996 season. 

The coach’s for this year’s annual classic are the protagonists of the Philippine Cup. San Miguel Beer’s Ato Agustin, the all-Filipino runner-up, will coach the North.

North holds a 5-4 edge over South since the format was introduced in 1992.

Agustin and his North All-Stars are seeking to duplicate last season’s victory with the help of Ginebra backcourt tandem of Willie Miller and Mark Caguioa, Derby Ace’s Marc Pingris and Kerby Raymundo and reigning All-Star MVP Gabe Norwood of Rain Or Shine.

SMB’s Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos and Rabeh Al-Hussaini, the only rookie who made it to this year’s All-Star game, were also enlisted to play for Agustin.

The Sophomores and Rookies meet up in the Blitz Game on Saturday at the Boracay Convention Center.

There will also be the usual slam dunk contest and three-point shootout in the five-day event backed by Coca-Cola, Talk ‘N Text, Meralco, Puma, Alta Vista, Smart, Accel, Molten, Islander, Rain or Shine and Powerade.