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PHOTOS: Star Magic vs Star Hunt artists go head-to-head in rookie basketball | Star Magic All-Star Games 2023

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PHOTOS:New, up-and-coming heartthrobs battle it out in rookie basketball game of Star Magic All-Star Games 2023

Mary Ann Bardinas

From making us kilig with their presence on social media and their other media appearances, the mix of up-and-coming and promising heartthrobs of Star Magic went on to capture our hearts with their impressive flair in basketball, which they exhibited during the rookie basketball event of the Star Magic All-Star Games 2023.Just like the other basketball games that we have seen, this edition had four quarters, in which the Star Magic Mixed Rookies and Star Hunt Mixed Rookies had to get the ball rolling within 10 minutes. Even before the game started, Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10 alumnus and Star Hunt player Dustine Mayores had seemed to have already captivated fans for he was awarded the Best Idol Fancam for this event, with his supporters being treated to an exclusive livestream of him while in action via the Star Magic YouTube channel.Aside from Dustine, also part of the Star Hunt team were BGYO members Akira Morishita, JL Toreliza, Mikki Claver, as well as Kobie Brown, Rob Blackburn, Yamyam Gucong, Elyson de Dios, Russu Laurente, Crismar Menchavez, Dustine Mayores, Kyron Aguilera, Dan Delgado, Tristan Ramirez, and Batit Espiritu.On the other hand, the Star Magic team were comprised by Seth Fedelin, Ashton Salvador, Luke Alford, Kice So, Tan Rocal, Isaiah Dela Cruz, Neil Coleta, River Joseph, Karl Gabriel, Jimmy Nocon, Tom Doromal, Marco Santiago, Lance Lucido, Joaquin Santos, and JB Agustin.Being a basketball fan that he is and a supportive cousin to Ashton, Supreme Idol Daniel Padilla was spotted on the sidelines, alongside his youngest sister Carmela and their cousins Jordan and Analain. The Star Magic immediately owned the first quarter as they ended it with 12 points, against the seven points of Star Hunt. That went on in the second quarter, wherein they had seven-point advantage as it concluded with 34-27 points on the scoreboard. By the end of the first half, Jimmy Nocon and Ashton Salvador were the top scorers for Star Magic with a combined score of 16, while Elyson de Dios and Tristan Ramirez for Star Hunt for they had a combined score of 13.Providing entertainment to the audiences during the half-time show were beautiful and talented Star Magic artists Maxine Trinidad, Kei Kurosawa, and Andi Abaya, who performed together with the Southies All-star cheering squad, who won as 1st runner-up in the National Cheerleading Championship.Star Magic’s winning streak continued in the second half, as the third quarter concluded 55-44 in favor of them, while the game wrapped up 69-58, defeating Star Hunt.As the competition got more intense and physical in the second half of the game, we’d had witnessed how the players figured in several scrambles. Just like Ashton whose left shoulder got injured after his accidental collision with Elyson in the third quarter while he was driving to the basket, which was worsened when he slid straight to the sidelines as he attempted to shoot below the ring. Ashton was also named one of the Mythical 5, along with Star Hunt’s Tristan Ramirez and Elyson de Dios, and his Star Magic teammates River Joseph and Tan Roncal.Head of Star Magic and ABS-CBN TV Production Lauren Dyogi and ABS-CBN Music Head Roxy Liquigan also awarded the Rookie of the Year trophy to Luke Alford from Star Magic, as well as the first runner-up accolade to Star Hunt Mixed Rookies and the championship title to Star Magic Mixed Rookies.

The Star Magic heartthrobs indeed caught the hearts of fans and spectators as they showed off their ball skills on the All-Star Games Rookie Basketball court.