PBA to stage more games in provinces

MANILA, Philippines - Reverting to its old format of holding three conferences in a season, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is set to stage more provincial games for the 2010-11 calendar.

Around 15 games on the road have so far been scheduled under the management of new commissioner Chito Salud, assuring of at least holding a minimum of five out-of-town matches per conference.

For the First Conference of the 36th season, the league will be staging a breakthrough game in Digos City in Davao del Sur, pitting Talk n Text against Rain or Shine on Dec. 4.

The Digos City outing is just one of two road games Davao is hosting in the All-Filipino tournament, the other one to be held in Panabo, Davao del Norte featuring Powerade opposite San Miguel Beer on Oct. 23.

“Going back to the three conference format meant more opportunities for us to hold provincial games and give our fans outside of Metro Manila the chance to see their favorite players in the flesh and enjoy the PBA brand of plays,” said Salud.

An interesting match up between crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra and Powerade kicks off the provincial sorties for the season in Batangas City on Oct. 9.

A week later on Oct. 16, the league hosts its first game in Naga City after a long while with B-Meg Derby taking on Air21.

The last time the PBA played in Naga was still in the 1990s.

From Naga, the out-of-town sorties go to Panabo, and then in Bacolod City on Nov. 6 when Alaska battles rookie team Meralco.

Outside of Digos, the league is also scheduled to play for the first time in Lapu-Lapu City following the construction of a 10,000-seat capacity gym in the Cebu province.

Likewise, the PBA will go to Legazpi City for a similar out-of-town match to be held in another newly constructed playing arena that can accommodate a crowd of 10,000.