The UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) is mulling over giving more privileges to a team that could pull off a 14-game sweep in the eliminations starting this season.
Herc Callanta of the University of the Phils., this year’s host, said the board chaired by UP chancellor Sergio Cao is seriously considering to give the team that would sweep the double-round elims with a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals. The current UAAP rule gives only the team an outright berth in the best-of-three championship.
“The feeling of some is that the present rule has taken away the advantage that is given to a team that sweeps the eliminations,” said Callanta in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Shakey’s UN Ave.
Callanta, who was accompanied by UP athletic director Edwin Barber and Ateneo board representative Ricky Palou, said the issue is one of the topics that will be discussed in the UAAP board meeting on Friday at the College of Human Kinetics in UP Diliman.
Callanta was referring to University of the East’s feat last season where the Warriors swept the 14 games in the elims only to be swept by La Salle in the best-of-three finale.
Observers noted the Warriors groped for form in the final since they had to wait for over a month for the semis to be completed.
For his part, Barber said that all teams seeing action in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament firing off July 5 will be allowed to field in 16 players this year.
There are also suggestions to implement new rules like giving a team a chance to challenge a three-point field goal at any point of the game and suspending the possession arrow rule only in the last two minutes of the game.
“The two new rules are going to be voted upon in the board meeting,” said Barber. “Since these are not stated in the FIBA rules, these are going to be considered more or less as ground rules.”
The rule in allowing each team to enlist a maximum of two foreign players with only one to play at a time will also be tackled. The league will also make it official the prohibition of the use of pro-grip, an adhesive used to prevent the ball from slipping from one’s hands.