By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Team Japeth and Team Mark settled for a 140-all deadlock in the main event of the 2024 PBA All-Star Weekend at the University of St. La Salle Gymnasium in Bacolod City on Sunday night, March 24.

Team Japeth were comfortably ahead by double-digits late in the fourth quarter, but Team Mark slowly clawed their way back to tie the score at 140-all on a five-point play by Robert Bolick, Jr.

They still had an opportunity to win the game, but Calvin Oftana misfired his game-winning attempt from inside, while Bolick’s heave from half court was way behind the target.

Bolick finished the game with 13 points, with 10 coming in the fourth, to earn the All-Star MVP award for Team Mark, while Japeth Aguilar earned the nod for Team Japeth after tallying 21 points.

Roger Pogoy led the way for Team Japeth with 25 points. Marcio Lassiter chipped in 24 markers, while Jamie Malonzo, Arvin Tolentino and Terrence Romeo supplied 17, 13 and 11 markers, respectively.

Team Japeth were shorthanded in the All-Star exhibition game with top-overall pick Christian Standhardinger of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings pulling out at the last minute due to illness.

Meanwhile, Jaymar Perez paced Team Mark with 39 points. Team captain Andy Mark Barroca added 20 markers, while Calvin Abueva, June Mar Fajardo and Ricci Rivero ended with 18, 17 and 15 markers, respectively.

Negrense James Yap, playing for Team Mark, failed to make his presence felt in his hometown, after being held scoreless in the lengthy minutes given to him by head coach Jorge Gallent.

With the score tied after the 48 minutes of action, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial decided to split the P300,000 cash prize between the two teams equally, while Bolick and Aguilar shared the P60,000 prize for the All-Star MVP award.

This is the third time that the PBA All-Star Game ended in a draw, after the 2013 edition in Digos City between PBA All-Stars and Gilas Pilipinas, and between Mindanao All-Stars and Gilas Pilipinas in Cagayan de Oro City in 2017./ASC, WDJ

TEAM JAPETH 140 — Pogoy 25, Lassiter 24, Aguilar 21, Malonzo 17, Tolentino 13, Romeo 11, Lee 9, Newsome 7, Oftana 7, Trollano 2, Pringle 2, Dionisio 2, Ahanmisi 0.

TEAM MARK 140 — Perez 39, Barroca 20, Abueva 18, Fajardo 17, Rivero 15, Bolick 13, Perkins 9, Tiongson 3, Jalalon 2, Hodge 2, Sangalang 2, Norwood 0, Castro 0, Yap 0, Pinto 0.

Quarterscores: 46-20, 79-68, 111-104, 140-140.