THE South belongs to June Mar Fajardo and the North to Japeth Aguilar.
The two giants banner the return of the PBA All-Star game this summer after they emerged as the top fan favorites to lead the two opposing teams in the mid-season spectacle that adopts its tried and tested format again for Season 50.
The 36-year-old Fajardo, the only nine-time MVP in league history, emerged with the highest fan votes of 33,360 to lead the starters for the South squad.
The 38-year-old Aguilar meanwhile, received 24,104 votes to show the way for the North team.
READ: Coaches Leo, Chot set to match wits anew in PBA All-Star
This set-up will be played for the first time in seven years, or since the 2019 edition of the All-Star weekend in 2019 in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
This year’s All-Star festivities will be held from March 6-8 in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
Joining Fajardo as part of South’s starting unit are Barangay Ginebra teammates RJ Abarrientos (31,408) and Scottie Thompson (29,892), Calvin Oftana of TNT (21,770), and Robert Bolick of NLEX (20,862).
Meanwhile, Aguilar will have Titan’s Calvin Abueva (23,404), Juan Gomez De Liano of Converge (16,488), San Miguel’s CJ Perez (12,716), and Ginebra’s Stephen Holt (12,564) as part of his starting unit.
San Miguel’s Leo Austria and TNT counterpart Chot Reyes are the ones calling the shots during the March 8 game, although it hasn’t been designated which ones will coach the North and South teams.
The remaining slots in both the North and South squads will be filled in by the 12 PBA coaches.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
