The PBA hasn’t had a particularly interesting All-Star Game since 1989, the year when the midseason matchup became an annual event. For most fans going into the game, the big storyline was the reunion of Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski, stalwarts of the old Toyota powerhouse team who had since been estranged.

As a diehard 7-year-old Purefoods fan, however, I couldn’t care less about the Veterans; my heart was for the Rookies-Sophomores team through and through. The youngsters included five players from my favorite team: sophomores Jojo Lastimosa, Alvin Patrimonio, and Jerry Codiñera, and rookies Nelson Asaytono and Dindo Pumaren. Conversely, the Veterans were comprised mainly of stars from my team’s hated rivals San Miguel, then in the middle of its Grand Slam season, featuring Fernandez, Samboy Lim, Elmer Reyes, Yves Dignadice, and Hector Calma.

Rookies-Sophomores had a nightmarish start, trailing 35-21 at the end of the first quarter. I was in agony as the youngsters seemed to be in awe of their idols and kept turning the ball over.

But they seemed to get their bearings back to make a rally in the second quarter. I jumped off my feet when they finally tied the game on a monster two-handed fastbreak dunk by Alaska’s “Mr. Excitement” Bong Alvarez.

After that, it was a game of runs. The Veterans push its up by five, six points, but the Rookies-Sophomores team just wouldn’t go away. With time running out and the Veterans up by three, Rookies-Sophomores coach Dante Silverio called for time to draw up a play for the red-hot Cabahug. But the Veterans denied the Alaska gunner possession, so Pumaren passed it to the left corner to Lastimosa. “Three, Lastimosa!!!” the barker remarked, almost anti-climactically, at the Ultra. Meanwhile, it was pandemonium at our living room, where I was shouting, “Overtime! Overtime!”

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Here’s the recap by Raffy Japa in the next morning’s Manny Standard:

Veterans outlast Rookies-Sophs
Fernandez, Jaworski engineer 132-130 victory
By Raffy Japa


The grizzled veterans of the Philippine Basketball Association are not ready to abdicate their throne yet. Not even the irreverence and aggressiveness of the rookies and sophomores combined could overcome the grit and poise of the old lions of the pro league.

Playing as if they had been together for a decade, the old stars banked on the explosive reunion of Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez to repel the young turks, 132-130, last night in the PBA All-Star game before an overcrowd at the UL Arena.

A dramatic wind-up to the classic contest was the last-four-seconds winning play in which Jaworski, inbounded to Fernandez, who mowed down the steady defenses of Benjie Paras and Alvin Patrimonio for the marginal drive right at the buzzer.

“It was like winning a championship. I’m happy a lot of people supported this worthy cause. It feels great to win this one. This is my team. Mon was my teammate for a long time,” said Jaworski, who grabbed six rebounds and issued seven assists, four of them to Fernandez, with whom he played on the old Toyota team.

The Veterans posted a 38-21 lead behind the second quarter heroics of Philip Cezar and Samboy Lim.

But the rookies fought back through the dazzling drive of Paul Alvarez, the power-play of Jerry Codiñera and three pointers of Elmer Cabahug, Ronnie Magsanoc and Jojo Lastimosa to forge eight deadlocks, the last at 130-all on a side triple by Lastimosa, four seconds left.

Then came the winning play and Jaworski had two options: Pass to Allan Caidic at the perimeter or to Fernandez at the low post. He chose the higher percentage option.

“There was nothing extraordinary. But it really brings back the memories of the time we used to play together. I’m glad we won. There was so much at stake. So much pride,” said Fernandez. The mainstays of the vintage Toyota team of the early ‘80s played alongside each other for 20 quality minutes and every time a pass occurred between the two thrilled the crowd.

“Talagang pinagsabau ko ang dalawa (Jaworski and Fernandez) para maaliw ang mga tao,” said Veterans coach Baby Dalupan.

Jaworski was more philosophic after the game.

“This proves that in sports, there is no color, no race, no blood relationships. We’re here for the fun of the sport and to thrill and entertain the public,” said Jaworski.

Unexpectedly, it was the Veterans who showed up fire blending against the individualism of the young turks. They even outran their opponent with 49 fastbreak points against 28.

Providing flashes of brilliance for the Rookies-Sophomores were Alvarez, who performed three dunks, and Cabahug, who fired four of six triples on his way to a night-high 24 points and the All-Star MVP title.

The scores:

Veterans 132 – Fernandez 20, Tuadles 20, Villamin 18, Cezar 17, Lim, 16, Caidic 15, Reyes 15, Dignadice 10, Calma 6, Victorino 5, Jaworski 0, Loyzaga 0.

Rookies-Sophomores 130 – Cabahug 24, Alvarez 19, Magsanoc 17, Lastimosa 16, De la Rosa 12, Asaytono 10, Codiñera 9, Paras 7, Patrimonio 7, Jose 6, Pumaren 2, Realubit 1.

Quarters: 35-21, 59-59, 99-93, 132-130.

Referees: D. Bayais, R. de Leon, I. Varela.

Here’s video of highlights of the game, uploaded by regular commenter Workhorse3. The Jolas three-pointer followed by Don Ramon’s winning layup begin at the 2:09 mark.