Coaches Caloy Garcia and Richard del Rosario made the picks.
The lineups for the Rookie-Sophomores-Juniors (RSJ) Game for the PBA All-Star Weekend in Passi City, Iloilo have been formed, and it looks like Team Stalwarts has the advantage—at least on paper.
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters assistant coach Caloy Garcia, who will be coaching Team Stalwarts thanks to Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao being picked as All-Star Game coach by the fans, won a toss-coin to draft first. And he picked former number 1 pick Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser to anchor his squad, citing BGR’s size and speed as potential assets for Team Stalwarts.
Richard Del Rosario, who will be coaching Team Greats since Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings coach Tim Cone was voted by the fans to coach the All-Star Game, countered with Justin Arana for his team’s first pick—ostensibly to match up with Team Stalwarts’ talented big man.
Rounding out the Team Stalwarts lineup are Calvin Oftana, Joshua Munzon, Encho Serrano, Anton Asistio, Tyler Tio, Shaun Ildefonso, Mike Nieto, Matt Nieto, and Aris Dionisio. Asistio, Ildefonso, and Nieto are all part of Rain or Shine, giving Garcia three familiar players, while Serrano and Tiu both play for the Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters.
Completing Team Greats are Ato Ular, Aaron Black, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Allyn Bulanadi, Adrian Wong, Jerrick Balanza, RK Ilagan, and Javi Gomez de Liaño. Balanza formerly played for del Rosario’s Gin Kings, while Bulanadi and Ilagan were former teammates in college, as were Wong and Black.
The RSJ Game will be on March 10 at 5:45 p.m.