THE Philippine Basketball Association opens shop for its 42nd year this weekend with the thrust of building on the gains made last season and focusing on excellence on various levels.
Formally to open on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the season-opening conference Philippine Cup, “PBA@42” has league officials bullish of a good year and another opportunity for them to improve on their brand with the end view of making things more exciting for the PBA fans.
“Our direction for the PBA is to focus on excellence. For the owners to form the best teams possible by choosing the best coaches and players and acquiring them through the process available to them and to provide them with all the resources possible for them to excel. For players to reward their teams with undying loyalty, a passion to excel and the commitment to hard work, teamwork, and constant improvement. I believe that if we all adhere to this formula, then the PBA shall have games that will be very exciting, very competitive and very rewarding to our fans,” said Commissioner Chito Y. Narvasa during his speech at the preseason press conference early this week.
He added, “As for the PBA itself, I have demanded unquestionable integrity, dedication to our duties, a commitment to performance and a relentless desire to constantly look for ways to improve. We are also looking for better ways and programs to engage our loving fans, making visits to the games an enjoyable and memorable activity, a time for family bonding and togetherness. In doing so, we will be able to share with them a game we all love, basketball games full of intensity, excitement, integrity and love, Pinoy-style!”
For new PBA Chairman and GlobalPort Batang Pier owner Mikee Romero, considering how things unfolded last season with three different teams winning the conference championships and how league parity further improved in the offseason, all arrows point to an exciting season for Asia’s first play-for-pay league.
“I expect more parity in the league now. All the teams built up their respective rosters through player acquisitions and the draft. While there are teams who are considered favorites still the others are going to compete. I expect this will be a great season again,” said Mr. Romero in his opening remarks during the press conference.
NEW FACES AND MOVEMENTS
As the new season unfolds, conspicuous are the number of rookies who have secured roster spots as well as old faces in new places.
Leading the batch of rookies are the 12 Gilas cadets who were selected by the teams in a “special” draft, namely Mac Belo (Blackwater), Jio Jalalon (Star), Kevin Ferrer (Barangay Ginebra), Russel Escoto (Mahindra), Matthew Wright (Phoenix Petroleum), Arnold Van Opstal (San Miguel), Von Pessumal (GlobalPort), Mike Tolomia (Rain or Shine), Roger Pogoy (TNT), Carl Bryan Cruz (Alaska), Ed Daquioag (Meralco) and Alfonzo Gotladera (NLEX).
Culled from the “regular” draft and seeing action include top pick Raphael Banal (Blackwater), Raymon Jamito (Barangay Ginebra), Jonathan Grey (Meralco), Gelo Alolino (Phoenix Petroleum), Chris Javier (Star) and Rashawn McCarthy (San Miguel).
Players who are now playing for new teams include two-time league most valuable player James Yap, now with Rain or Shine, Paul Lee (Star), Paolo Taha (Barangay Ginebra), JR Quiñahan (GlobalPort), Alex Mallari (Mahindra), Joseph Yeo (Meralco), Carlo Lastimosa (NLEX) and John Wilson (Phoenix Petroleum).
NLEX, Star, Rain or Shine and TNT have new coaches as well with Yeng Guiao now at the helm of the Road Warriors replacing Boyet Fernandez, Chito Victolero is now coaching the Hotshots in place of Jason Webb, Caloy Garcia assumed head coaching duties for the Elastopainters after Mr. Guiao left, and Nash Racela was elevated as head coach of the Ka-Tropa, taking over from Jong Uichico.
Being the defending Philippine Cup champions, the San Miguel Beermen have been installed as favorites in the season-opening tournament by officials of the different teams, along with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, the Governors’ Cup champions, Alaska Aces and TNT Ka-Tropa.
The Beermen are actually in a position to win their third straight Philippine Cup title, a rare occurrence in the league. It is something that San Miguel said that it is fully aware of and is going to work on to achieve.
PHILIPPINE CUP FORMAT
In the Philippine Cup, the 12 teams will play a single elimination round with 11 games each.
The top eight at the end of the classification phase will advance to the quarterfinals with the top two enjoying a twice -- to-beat advantage over teams eight and seventh, respectively. Teams three and six and no. 4 and no. 5 will battle in a best-of-three series.
The semifinals and finals will be best-of-seven affairs.
San Miguel begins its title defense on opening day against the Star Hotshots at 6:15 p.m. following the opening ceremonies at 4 p.m. Commissioner’s Cup champions Rain or Shine Elastopainters make their debut on Nov. 23 against TNT Ka-Tropa while Barangay Ginebra plays its first game on Nov. 27 also against TNT.
Christmas Day fixture, meanwhile, will see the Mahindra Floodbusters against Blackwater Elite at 4:30 p.m. and the “Manila Clasico” between Barangay Ginebra and Star at 7 p.m.
– Michael Angelo S. Murillo