MVP Japeth Aguilar savors All-Star experience as career nears twilight

ILOCOS SUR, Philippines – Japeth Aguilar made sure to show out for fans in the PBA All-Star Game knowing his days in the PBA are numbered.

At 39, Aguilar became the oldest All-Star Game MVP after powering the North All-Stars to a 149-144 win over the South All-Stars at the Candon City Arena here on Sunday, March 8. 

The Barangay Ginebra forward flushed home seven dunks worth 3 points each to finish with 29 points on top of 6 rebounds and 2 assists as North beat South for the sixth straight time since 2010. 

“I’m thankful to God for this event. The first-timers still have many chances ahead of them. But for me, you’ll never know, maybe there are only a few,” said Aguilar, who eclipsed Arwind Santos as the oldest player to win the All-Star MVP award, according PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon. 

Santos was 37 when he shared the All-Star MVP honors with Aguilar in the 2019 edition in Calasiao, Pangasinan. 

Aguilar earned his third All-Star MVP plum overall and first as a solo winner as he also tied Robert Bolick for the award in 2024 in Bacolod, Negros Occidental. 

Now entering the twilight of his decorated career that saw him win eight championships and make the Mythical First Team three times, Aguilar relished the opportunity to bond with the young stars of the league.

While Aguilar appeared in his 10th All-Star Game, the North team featured six first-time All-Stars in Ginebra teammate Stephen Holt, Converge’s Juan Gomez de Liaño, Justin Arana, and Justine Baltazar, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum, and Meralco’s CJ Cansino.

“They’re the future of the league,” said Aguilar. “I told them they’re going to be here for a while.” 

Aguilar opened the game with three quick dunks as North raced to an early lead that peaked at 43-28 then hammered down a two-handed jam with 24 seconds remaining for the last points of the game that sealed the win for his squad. 

CJ Perez also shone for North with 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, Gomez de Liaño flirted with a triple-double with 23 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds, while Nocum fired 22 points.

Arana had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double in the win, including 12 points in the fourth quarter.

With Gomez de Liaño and Arana playing key roles for North, their Converge teammate Alec Stockton showed the way for the opposing squad — his defensive tenacity allowing South to claw its way back into the game.

Stockton delivered 29 points, 6 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, and 1 block in the losing effort. – Rappler.com