San Juan All-Stars shine in North Division Win in PCAP All-Star match

Playing for pride, bragging rights, and a ₱30,000 team purse, three San Juan All-Star Predators, top rated player GM Oliver Barbosa, lady player WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, and senior IM Ricky de Guzman, represented the North Division in the PCAP All-Star North-South Division game. They played key roles in securing a North Division victory after a thrilling clutch Armageddon tiebreaker win.

The All-Star game was played between the best of the Division, voted on by the 50% fan vote and a 50% player and coach vote. It was played in the same format as the PCAP playoff, but with double the players for each side. The three Predators chosen won all their blitz games and were key in the North Division taking a massive 12-2 lead after the 1st set blitz round. The South attempted to rally in the rapid round, but the hill was too high and the North took the first set, 25-17.

Doc. Fred Paez, the coach of the North from the Laguna Heroes, rotated his squad but kept WIM Fronda and IM de Guzman. This time, however, the South gained their rhythm and kept the blitz round close 7-7, and took control of the rapid round, leading to a 19-23 victory. This forced an Armageddon tiebreaker, with each Division sending 5 players. After the first 4 games led to a 2-2 tied score, GM Darwin Laylo of the Pasig City Pirates was backed into a severe time disadvantage in his endgame against Virgen Gil Ruaya of the Camarines Soaring Eagles, but in his attempt to make a moved before the flag went down, he stumbled upon into a checkmate against Ruaya, winning the All-Star match for the North Division.

The next PCAP conference starts at May 15.