The MPBL All-Star Game is an exhibition game hosted by the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and showcases 30 of the league's star players.[a] It is the main event of the greater MPBL All-Star Day,[1] held during the latter part of the regular season alongside a series of pre-game events within the same day. The first All-Star Game was played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on March 2, 2019.[2]
| MPBL All-Star Game | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Annual |
| Inaugurated | 2019 (Pasay) |
| Previous event | 2024 (Zamboanga City) |
| Next event | 2025 (TBA) |
| Participants | North Division and South Division all-stars |
| Organized by | Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League |
The two teams, representing the two divisions (North and South), are composed of fifteen players from the representing division. The head coaches of the team with the best record in each division leading up to All-Star gameday are chosen to coach their respective teams.
Background
editThe MPBL All-Star Game was introduced during the league's second season, the 2018–19 season. The first edition of the event took place on March 2, 2019, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.[2] Two teams from each division, with fifteen players (thirteen players in 2022), are matched against one another. The teams are led by the head coach of the team with the best record in each division.
The 2020 edition also took place at SM Mall of Asia Arena,[3] but since then the All-Star Game has been hosted by one of its teams in its primary home venue. The Batangas City Embassy Chill hosted the 2022 edition at Batangas City Coliseum while the Bataan Risers hosted the 2023 edition at Bataan People's Center.[4][5]
The 2024 edition was the first to take place outside Luzon, with the Zamboanga Master Sardines hosting the event at Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City. In 2024, on top of the fifteen selections for each division, one homegrown player was also selected as an additional all-star.
The All-Star Game is usually preceded by a series of pre-game events. The Executives' Game, Three-Point Shootout, and Slam Dunk Showdown have become regular events, appearing in every All-Star gameday from the beginning.
All-Star Game results
editThis is a list of each All-Star Game, the venue at which it was played, and the Game MVP. Parenthesized numbers indicate the number of times that venue, city, or player has occurred as of that instance (e.g. "Jeff Viernes (2)" in 2020 indicates that was his second All-Star MVP award). The South Division currently leads the all-time series, 3–2, over the North Division.
| North Division (2 wins) | South Division (3 wins) |
|---|
| Year | Result | Host arena | Host city | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | South 109, North 84 | SM Mall of Asia Arena | Pasay | Jeff Viernes, Batangas City Athletics |
| 2020 | South 126, North 122 (OT) | SM Mall of Asia Arena (2) | Pasay (2) | Jeff Viernes (2), Batangas City Athletics |
| 2022 | South 109, North 92 | Batangas City Coliseum | Batangas City, Batangas | Jaycee Marcelino, Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines |
| 2023 | North 99, South 91 | Bataan People's Center | Balanga, Bataan | Justine Baltazar, Pampanga Giant Lanterns |
| 2024 | North 95, South 91 | Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum | Zamboanga City | Will McAloney, Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards |
Notes
edit- ^ The 2022 edition featured 26 players while the 2024 edition featured 32 players.
References
edit- ^ "Narito ang partial results ng ating All-Star Voting para sa Starting-5 ng North at South Team" [Here are the partial results for our All-Star Voting for the Starting-5 of the North and South Team.] (in Tagalog). Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. February 20, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2024 – via Facebook.
Sa mga hindi pa naka-boto, dali bomoto na para magkaroon kayo ng chance na manalo ng FREE TICKETS para sa ating All-Star Day sa March 2.
[For those who haven't voted yet, vote now to get a chance to win FREE TICKETS for our All-Star Day on March 2.] - ^ a b "South tops North as Viernes, Anderson shine in MPBL All-Stars". Rappler. March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ "Jeff Viernes named MVP as South wins in OT in MPBL All-Star game". spin.ph. February 14, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- ^ "MPBL All-Star: South beats North anew; Manny Pacquiao hits buzzer-beater in Executives game". Inquirer. October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Sports, Manila Standard (September 17, 2023). "North subdues South in MPBL All-Star Game; Pacquiao, Wamar, Gania shine in side events". Manila Standard. Retrieved December 31, 2023.