SHAKEY’S and Sports Vision highlight another banner V-League season with an All-Star Game tomorrow, featuring the best and the brightest players who saw action in the Open, Collegiate and Reinforced Conferences of Season 13.
But it won’t just be a gathering of stars but the event also serves as a fund-raiser for victims of Typhoon Lawin, which hit the northern parts of Luzon last month.
“It’s time not just to give back to the fans for their continued support to the league but we also want to help our fellow Filipinos who suffered from the wrath of super typhoon Lawin,” said Ricky Palou, president of the organizing Sports Vision.
This year’s All-Star is actually a double-treat with the Spikers’ Turf also holding its first-ever special game side by side with that of the Shakey’s V-League.
“Men’s volleyball essentially packs so much action and we want fans to see what these high-leaping, crisp-hitting spikers have to offer, even in an exhibition game,” said Sports Vision chairman Moying Martelino.
Michelle Gumabao, Myla Pablo, Gyzelle Sy and libero Melissa Gohing of the recent Reinforced Conference champion Pocari Sweat will go up against a squad bannered Reinforced tilt MVP Alyssa Valdez of Customs in a match set at 5:15 p.m. at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Fans, meanwhile, will also get a chance to join their favorite players for fun and games from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. All ringside and patron ticket holders can join the players on the court for autograph signing and photo-ops.
The event will be aired live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23 and S+A HD Ch 166 and via streaming on www.sports.abs-cbn.com.
Pocari’s winning coach Rommel Abella will handle Gumabao and company’s Team 2 along with fellow mentors Jerry Yee of UP and Kungfu Reyes of UST. Other members of the squad are Jia Morado of Ateneo, UP’s Diana Carlos, Marianne Buitre and Isa Molde, Cherry Rondina and Ria Meneses of UST, BaliPure’s Amy Ahomiro and Far Eastern University’s Toni Basas.
Laoag coach Nes Pamilar, Air Force’s Jasper Jimenez and Sherwin Meneses of Customs will serve as Team 1’s coaching staff of Valdez’s squad that also includes Dzi Gervacio and libero Denden Lazaro of BaliPure, Laoag’s Jessica Galanza and Wenneth Eulalio, Air Force’s Jocemer Tapic and Wendy Semana, EJ Laure of UST, Customs’ Fenela Emnas, UP’s Nicole Tiamzon, Remy Palma of FEU and Elaine Kasilag of Pocari.
Meanwhile, the Spikers’ Turf All-Star will start at 3 p.m. with Team 1 composed of Open and Reinforced Conference champions Jessie Lopez, Louie Chavez, Reyson Fuentes, Jeffrey Malabanan and Mark Alfafara of Air Force, National U’s Ismail Fauzi and Bryan Bagunas, Cignal’s Edward Ybanez and Vince Mangulabnan, Berlin Paglinawan of Champion Supra, Patrick Rojas of Army and Kheeno Franco of Instituto Estetico Manila. Calling the shots are Vhyl Verayo of Air Force, Dante Alinsunurin of NU and Norman Miguel of Champion Supra.
Team 2 will be led by Ateneo’s Mark Espejo, Ish Polvorosa and Rex Intal, De La Salle’s Raymark Woo and Geuel Asia, Cignal’s Ysay Marasigan and Peter Torres, Air Force’s Howard Mojica and Rodolfo Labrador, Greg Dolor of IEM, Alfred Valbuena of UP and Jason Uy of Army. The coaches are Cignal’s Macky Carino, Oliver Almadro of Ateneo and Jun Balubar of IEM.
Schedule tomorrow
(Philsports Arena, Pasig)
1:30 p.m. – Fans’ photo-op & autograph signing with the Stars
3 p.m. – Spikers’ Turf All-Star Game
5 p.m. – Awarding of plaques – Spikers Turf Stars & event Partners
5:15 p.m. – Shakey’s V-League All-Star Game
7:15 p.m. – Awarding of plaques – Shakey’s V-League Stars