Team Japeth and Team Mark showcased both sharp offense and scrappy defense during the 2024 PBA All-Star Game in Bacolod.
The 2024 PBA All-Star Game ended with a 140-all draw after a tight and tense game inside the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod Sunday.
True to their words, coach Tim Cone's squad showcased Team Japeth's offense, while opposing captain Mark Barroca had his players provide scrappy defense.
Team Japeth were on a blitz in the first quarter with Paul Lee and RR Pogoy both making at least a couple of four-point shots. They built a massive lead, 46-20, with Jamie Malonzo scoring 15 in the period.
By the second quarter, it was showtime with Ricci Rivero providing a spark for Team Mark with nine points.
The crowd couldn't help but cheer with the entry of Terrence Romeo, who made his opponents dance while making six points of his own.
Marcio Lassiter got hot as well with three straight rainbow country shots, equivalent to 12 points in this All-Star Game.
Needing some extra spark, Calvin Abueva gave some fight for Team Mark with hustle plays, allowing CJ Perez to shine with a double-digit performance of his own in the quarter alone, including a buzzer-beater. Team Mark once cut the seemingly insurmountable lead to 11, setting up the stage for the wild finish.
The third quarter saw the two teams keep the game close with three deadlocks and with more instances of contesting referees' calls.
An RR Pogoy drive though helped Team Japeth stay above water, 111-104.
Come the final frame, Team Japeth stretched the lead, highlighted by a couple of Terrence Romeo to Japeth Aguilar slams.
A Robert Bolick shot trimmed the lead to five with 24 seconds left. He grabbed another with a fadeaway, and a free throw tied the ball game, 140-all, with 17.8 seconds left. Calvin Oftana then missed a layup for Team Japeth that would have been a win, marking the first tie in the PBA All-Star Game in seven years, or since the Mindanao All-Stars tied with Gilas Pilipinas in 2017.
Both teams won P150,000 each.