From semifinal foes to All-Star teammates as RJ Abarrientos, Juan Gomez de Liano face Adrian Nocum-led Juniors

What the playoffs kept apart, the All-Star Weekend is about to bring together.

After trading blows as opponents in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals between Barangay Ginebra and Converge, RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liano are set to wear the same colors — if only for a night — as fan-chosen leaders of the Rookies-Sophomores squad in the Season 50 PBA All-Star side event.

The unlikely pairing will take center stage during the March 6–8 festivities in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where the revived Rookies-Sophomores vs Juniors clash returns as a prelude to the main All-Star Game.

Fan voting made the reunion possible. Abarrientos topped all first- and second-year players with 42,862 votes, edging out Converge big man Justine Baltazar (38,022) and Gomez de Liano (37,802) to headline the youthful lineup. 

On the other side, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum emerged as the leading vote-getter for the Juniors with 38,710 votes, setting up a marquee showdown between the league’s rising present and its near-future stars.

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Top vote getters for the #PBA50AllStarCandon pic.twitter.com/zi447xSECS

— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 24, 2026

The matchup carries a sense of unfinished business for the league. The format was meant to return during last year’s All-Star Weekend in Davao but was shelved at the last moment due to security concerns, with the event falling a week before the mid-term elections. Its last actual appearance dates back to 2019 in Calasiao, Pangasinan, when the Rookies-Sophomores edged the Juniors 141–140 on a dramatic Jvee Mocon putback.

This year’s cast brings no shortage of intrigue. Joining Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano on the Rookies-Sophomores side are Sedrick Barefield (32,246), Jerom Lastimosa (31,208), Caelan Tiongson (30,840), Kai Ballungay (28,466), CJ Cansino (28,094), Sonny Estil (24,026), Dalph Panopio (23,136), Mark Nonoy (20,498), and Felix Lemetti (19,890) — a mix of creators, slashers, and athletic forwards.

Standing in their way is a Juniors squad stacked with familiar names and rising stars. Alongside Nocum are Ricci Rivero (38,020), Holt (35,584), Zavier Lucero (35,120), Brandon Bates (28,008), Ralph Cu (27,806), Christian David (25,852), Kim Aurin (25,142), Kenneth Tuffin (25,576), Fran Yu (23,602), Deschon Winston (21,412), and Cade Flores (20,370).

For Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano, the All-Star stage offers something rare — a chance to turn rivalry into rhythm, if only temporarily. And for fans, it’s exactly the kind of crossover the weekend was made for.

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