The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will implement two major format changes for its Seventh Season starting 8 March at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City, Isabela.

Heeding the team owners’ recommendation, the MPBL has decided to make the North and South Division Finals a best-of-five series instead of the usual best-of-three affair. The National Finals pitting the North and South champions, will remain a best-of-five battle.

Also approved was the play-in tussle for the last two qualifying slots in both divisions after the conclusion of the round-robin elimination round.

Under this setup, the top six teams in the North and South advance outright to the quarterfinal playoffs, with the next four teams disputing the remaining two seats.

The seventh and eighth-ranked teams will collide for the right to join the top six in the quarterfinals.

The loser, however, gets another chance to become the eighth and last qualifier as it will still face the winner between the ninth and 10th-ranked teams.

MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes presided over the dinner meeting with the team owners, including those of newcomer Ilagan Isabela Cowboys and returning Basilan Starhorse late Sunday.