PBA to adopt new format

More action awaits member ballclubs as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is set to implement a double-round robin format for the Season 49 opening conference Governors’ Cup set in August.

For the first time in over two decades, the league is bringing back a pool format where the 12 teams will be divided into two groups with six squads each.

To make it more exciting, teams will face each other twice in the pool ensuring 10 games per squad in the elimination round of the import-laden conference implementing a 6-foot-6 height limit for reinforcements.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said the revised format is one of the many innovations the PBA will introduce in its buildup for the 50th anniversary of Asia’s pioneering pro basketball league.

“As Chairman (Ricky Vargas) said, let’s think of changing some rules or introducing innovations. The Board wants a new-look PBA, starting in our Year 50,” Marcial said.

The top teams in each pool will advance to the crossover playoffs featuring a best-of-five quarterfinals. Both the semifinals and finals are best-of-seven affairs.

This is the first time the PBA will adopt a group format since the 2003 season.

“Those are the changes but for the other two conferences (Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup), it will be a single-round (eliminations),” he added.

The PBA will revert to a three-conference season with the Commissioners’ Cup, which will have no height restrictions for imports, scheduled as the mid-season tournament.

“We did this so that the all-Filipino (conference) will run on the same year of our 50th anniversary,” Marcial said.

The PBA has also aligned its calendar for next season to ensure its clubs’ participation in international tournaments including the East Asia Super League (EASL).

Marcial said the PBA Board is already in talks with the EASL about the squads it will field in the tournament.