Coaches Leo Austria, Tim Cone and Chito Victolero are tapped to handle the three PBA selections going up against coach Chot Reyes and Gilas Pilipinas in the 2017 PBA All-Star festivities, featuring a leg each in Cagayan de Oro, Lucena and Cebu late next month.
Victolero calls the shots for the PBA Mindanao selection in Cagayan de Oro on April 26, Austria holds the rein in the Luzon squad in the Lucena game on April 28 then Cone takes the saddle on the Visayan All Stars in the Cebu match on April 30.
The three earned the honors to be this year’s PBA All-Star coaches for steering their respective PBA teams to top three finish in the recently concluded Philippine Cup.
Cone is a record holder as an eight-time PBA All-Star coach, ahead of Robert Jaworski and Derrick Pumaren who had five appearances each in the annual mid-season classic.
Austria is as an All-Star coach for the third straight year while Victolero is making his debut in the keenly awaited event.
Sponsored content:
Austria will have at his disposal 2016 All-Star MVP Alex Cabagnot, Japeth Aguilar, Terrence Romeo, Marc Pingris, Calvin Abueva, Mark Caguioa, Jayson Castro, Paul Lee and Arwind Santos.
The Visayan squad will be bannered by June Mar Fajardo, James Yap, Jeff Chan, Asi Taulava and Joe Devance.
Mac Belo, Carlo Lastimosa, Mike Tolomia, Scottie Thompson, Jio Jalalon, PJ Simon, Mark Barroca and RR Garcia are in the Mindanao team.
The skills competitions, including the three-point shootout and the dunk contest, will be featured in Lucena.
Meanwhile, various outreach programs are set in Cagayan de Oro and in Cebu.
Sponsored content:
The North All-Stars bested their Southern counterparts in the last two editions of the spectacle.
Gilas Pilipinas, meanwhile, triumphed over the PBA All-Stars, 101-93, in its last appearance in the All-Star event.
