Innovation in PBA Finals

In case you didn’t notice, the PBA experimented with an innovation in the Game 5 clincher of the recent Philippine Cup Finals at the MOA Arena. Technical director Eric Castro assigned two additional referees to sit behind each goal to provide more eyes in determining the severity of fouls. It wasn’t meant to undermine the authority of the three referees on the court. The extra referees were on call for consultation. “We wanted to reduce the time of reviewing whether a foul was deliberate or flagrant or regular,” said Castro. “We thought if we had two referees behind each goal, the three on the floor would be able to get instant insights before consulting the video replay.”

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial’s idea was not only to make the correct calls commensurate to the gravity of contact but also to speed up the game with the fans’ interest in mind. Throughout the first conference, Marcial made a conscious effort to avoid delays and interruptions.

But in the Finals, the games were extended to about four or five minutes longer than usual because of the added timeout. “Before the Finals, we allowed six regular timeouts in a game plus two 30-second timeouts each half,” he said. “For the Finals, we went up to seven regular timeouts and increased the time for the regular timeouts from 90 to 120 seconds.” Marcial said the PBA is constantly looking for ways to make the game more exciting without compromising the integrity of the rules.

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So far, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) has accepted new franchises in Manila, San Juan, Laguna and Pasig for the next conference to start on June 12. MPBL founder Sen. Manny Pacquiao is optimistic that more teams will join as there are serious inquiries from Makati, Rosario in Cavite, Camarines Sur, Davao Occidental, Cebu, Bacolod, General Santos City and Ilocos Sur. 

Manila will be coached by PBA legend Philip Cezar with PBA veterans Roger Yap, Riel Cervantes and Marcy Arellano in the lineup. San Juan will be called the Knights and coach Randy Alcantara will bring in a cast led by PBA veterans MacMac Cardona and E. J. Fiehl. Rizal’s players will include PBA veterans Khazim Mirza, Kelvin Gregorio and Bonbon Custodio. Laguna’s coach will be Alex Angeles. If Makati joins, it will be coached by former La Salle guard Cholo Villanueva with PBA veterans Rudy Lingganay and Jeckster Apinan in the roster. San Miguel Alab Pilipinas’ Fil-Am Lawrence Domingo may be enlisted for the squad. An expansion draft will be held with existing teams protecting up to nine players in their cast.

Each team is allowed to recruit up to five ex-pros from the PBA, MBA or ABL with at least three players from the host city or town. No imports or guest teams are allowed. The MPBL has tapped the United Basketball Referees Association (UBRA) for its game officials. MPBL operations director Zaldy Realubit said the league maintains a pool of 18 to 20 referees under the UBRA of Bai Cristobal and George Magsino. Among the ex-pros in the MPBL are Gary David, Marlou Aquino, Val Acuna, Jong Baloria, Marlon Basco, Harold Arboleda, Chito Jaime, Paolo Hubalde, Sunday Salvacion, Mark Andaya and Al Vergara.

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Australia will play Japan on June 29 and the Philippines on July 2, both on the road, in the third window of the FIBA Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. According to Australian writer Roy Ward, Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis is in contact with the NBA players from Down Under on their availability for the qualifiers. “More NBA players could be drawn to the away games in June (and July) by the possibility of playing in front of 50,000 fans at the Philippine Arena,” said Ward. 

Boomers forward Mitch Creek, a National Basketball League pick-up filling in for the absent NBA players, said, “It’s safe to say I have never had 50,000 Filipinos attacking me but whether it’s 5,000 or 50,000, if you are not strong-willed enough to accept the challenge and realize it is a basketball game and nothing more, then it will get to you.”  Lemanis said “some” NBA players have expressed willingness to play for Australia in the coming window. Among Australia’s NBA players are Matthew Dellavedova, Andrew Bogut, Dante Exum, naturalized import Aron Baynes (from New Zealand), Joe Ingles, Patty Mills and Ben Simmons.