CANDON, Ilocos Sur --- Jerom Lastimosa powered the Rookies and Sophomores squad past the Juniors team in a high-scoring 154-150 decision in the Blitz Game of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Arena Plus All-Star weekend on Friday night at the Candon City Arena here.
The Magnolia guard dropped 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to anchor his squad’s pull away in the second half.
Lastimosa shot 8-of-11 from the field including four triples and dished out 10 assists on his way to bagging the Blitz Game Most Valuable Player award and P50,000 cash reward.
Lastimosa credited his teammates for a great showing especially in the second half after trailing, 63-64, at the halftime break.
“Very happy because even though we’re not really teammates and just played together for this event we’re able to work together and win,” Lastimosa said.
Lastimosa scored and assisted in his team’s decisive 10-2 run after the Juniors cut their 13-point deficit to 139-134 after Phoenoix’s Ricci Rivero connected a four-pointer with 2:42 left.
A three-point dunk by Kai Ballungay off an alley-oop pass dish by Lastimosa gave the Dayong Mendoza-coached Rookies/Sophomores crew a 149-136 advantage with 1:09 left.
The Rookies/Sophomores took advantage of their speed to convert blitz points (baskets made within seven seconds after regaining possession and counted as three points) and their outside shooting to gain control and enter the final period with a 112-105 lead.
NLEX’s Brandon Ramirez had 26 points and 10 rebounds, Ballungay got 20 markers, Blacwater’s Dalph Panopio finished with 17 while Sedrick Barefield and guest player PBA great Arwind Santos added 14 markers each for the Rookies/Sophomores, who nailed 30 three-pointers.
Rivero paced the Juniors with a double-double of 30 points and 10 rebounds. NLEX’s Schonny Winston added 29 markers while Ke Tuffin and MJ Garcia had 23 and 15, respectively.
Meanwhile, Jerrick Ahanmisi of Terrafirma wrote history by becoming the first player to sweep the skills events of the annual All-Star extravaganza.
Ahanmisi was a deadshot in the final of the Three-point Shootout to edge no less than San Miguel Beer sniper Marcio Lassiter and Converge rookie Juan Gomez de Liano.
Finishing behind Lassiter in the elimination round, Ahanmisi pocketed four of the five money balls, worth two points each, in the left elbow rack and hit two of the three-point golden balls for a final score of 30.
Shooting last, Ahanmisi only needed 26 points to beat Lassiter, who had 25 points after fading in the last couple of racks. Gomez de Liano got 18 in the final.
Lassiter, the all-time PBA three-point record-holder, took the pole position in the first round of his ninth attempt at winning the event with 25 points while Ahanmisi and Gomez de Liano had 22 each.
Ahanmisi earlier ruled the Obstacle Challenge for guards, clearing the course in 24.44 seconds in the final.
He beat Blackwater’s Dalph Panopio, who clocked 26.97 seconds. TNT’s Rey Nambatac was third with 27.94 seconds followed by Gomez De Liano (35.83), Titan Ultra’s Fran Yu (37.52) and San Miguel Beer’s Juami Tiongson (50.7).
On the other hand, Brandon Bates of Meralco won the Obstacle Challenge for big men after finishing his run in 22.86 seconds in the final.
Ramirez ended at second with 27.26 ticks while Magnolia’s James Laput had 45.69 seconds.
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