Looking to cash in on promise of charity, PBA All-Star game sets scoring records

Cebuano June Mar Fajardo (15) leads the South All-Stars in the dance off during the 2019 PBA All-Star game in Pangasinan on Sunday, March 31, 2019. | PBA Images

CALASIAO, PANGASINAN—Paul Lee threw a three-pointer, then turned around and sprinted back on defense without checking on his shot result, ala-Steph Curry.

Japeth Aguilar had a dunk over June Mar Fajardo. He dribbled from the perimeter and leapt over the five-time MVP from San Miguel Beer. It was a dunk both players shook hands on before the game, Aguilar admitted. But its effect on the crowd was like it were unscripted, even if Fajardo clearly lowered his head to allow Aguilar an unimpeded slam.

Perhaps the crowd would have cheered on anyway even if they knew it was choreographed. They did, after all, erupt when legend Benjie Paras upped the dunk count by slamming one home with a little help from Fajardo, his defender, who lifted him up for the jam.

GALLERY: Images from the 2019 PBA All-Star game in Pangasinan

Everyone was dunking or shooting threes Sunday night, a result of a promise by the promoters of the PBA All-Star game here that every three and every slam would be the equivalent of a wheelchair donated to the Alagang PBA foundation.

Japeth Aguilar of the North All-Stars completes a dunk, one of a record-setting 45 in the game that led to the donation of wheelchairs. | PBA Images

“It adds another meaning to the game,” said commissioner Willie Marcial. “The players are having fun and the crowd is enjoying but now, it’s also for a cause.”

And it certainly helped add points to the scoreboard, resulting in a record scoring night for the annual classic.

According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, several All-Star marks were reset at Calasiao Sports Complex here.

The 185-170 victory of the North all-stars over their South counterparts was a three-way record: Highest winning score, highest losing score and highest combined scores.

Paul Lee attempted a record 25 attempts from beyond the arc. He took zero attempts inside it and drained a record nine triples.

The North squad made 29 triples in all, another new mark, off a record 107 attempts. And throw in the 16 of the South squad, whose 83 tries from beyond the arc could have been the most had it not been for their opponents jacking up triple after triple, that added up to a record 45 combined three-pointers by both squads.

The 45 dunks and 37 triples combined for 82 wheelchairs to be donated by the promoting Double V Productions.

The records were so smashing that LA Tenorio’s triple-double was nearly overlooked. The Barangay Ginebra quarterback had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists. The PBA’s newest Iron Man also had the best +/- at plus-40.