Trollano, Cruz named All-Star reserves
Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz were big reasons why San Miguel Beer retained their supremacy in the PBA Philippine Cup.
And their contributions in that title run did not go unnoticed, with both being selected to play as reserves in next month’s return of the All-Star Game in Candon, Ilocos Sur.
Cruz will team up with San Miguel superstar June Mar Fajardo for the South, while Trollano joins teammate CJ Perez on the North squad for the annual classic slated for March 8.
Trollano and Cruz were named by the coaches from all 12 ballclubs after they were tasked to complete the rosters following the selection of the starting five by votes from fans.
While Cruz remained a key two-way wing for the Beermen following his PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player showing the previous conference, Trollano became a third or fourth offensive option for the San Miguel, which started defense of its title with an alarming 0-2 record.
“It was a wake-up call for us,” Trollano said in Filipino after San Miguel wound up winning 10 in a row before needing six games each to defeat Barangay Ginebra in the semis and TNT in the Finals.
“When we started going on a winning streak, that was when everything went well for us,” added Trollano, who also didn’t mind failing to meet his predictions of a four-game sweep of the Tropang 5G as long as they got the job done.
It will be Trollano’s second straight All-Star appearance. He was finally chosen in the 2024 edition held in Bacolod. The midseason extravaganza was cancelled last year.
Other reserves on the North are the Converge frontline duo of Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana, Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum and Meralco’s Chris Newsome and CJ Cansino.
The South will have TNT’s RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac, Rain or Shine’s Santi Santillan and Caelan Tiongson, Converge’s Alec Stockton and NLEx’s JB Bahio.
Fajardo topped voting for the South, while Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar headlines the North starters.
