Change is coming

Change is coming to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for its 50th season.

From a debuting team to four neophyte coaches to some league rules revisions, the golden anniversary of Asia’s first play-for-pay league abounds in innovations and surprises.

The season-opening Philippine Cup, unfurling on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, will still have 12 participating teams with the inclusion of newcomer Titan Ultra.

The Pureblends Corporation-owned squad was formally introduced after completing its purchase of the NorthPort franchise during the season press conference on Wednesday at the Shangri-La The Fort Manila in Bonifacio Global City.

First-time Magnolia coach LA Tenorio, one of the four new tacticians starting their coaching career in the league, gets a baptism of fire when he makes his debut against his former team Barangay Ginebra and long-time mentor Tim Cone.

The celebrated “Manila Clasico” rivalry — the lone game on opening day — kicks off the all-Filipino conference contest at 7:30 p.m.

“We can put any team in the opening game of the PBA 50th. We just thought we’d put a little drama: Tim Cone versus LA Tenorio,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said.

“That’s our reason. But any of our teams playing in the first game will surely draw crowd because it’s our 50th (season).”

The annual Leo Awards, where San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo is expected to win a ninth Most Valuable Player award, serves as the front act of the opening day festivities.

Other rookie coaches raring to make their mark in the pros are Willy Wilson of Phoenix, Ronald Tubid of Terrafirma and Pampanga Vice-Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda.

Also playing new roles this season are former NorthPort team manager Pido Jarencio, who now holds the position of team governor of Terrafirma, while former Magnolia deputy Jason Webb has been promoted as team governor.

Conferences this season will revert to the usual calendar of the Philippine Cup followed by the import-laden Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup.

No height limit shall be implemented to imports in the Commissioner’s Cup while the Governors’ Cup will have a 6-foot-5 cap.

All tournaments this season will follow a new format.

The top eight teams after the elimination round will advance to the quarterfinals with the No. 1 to 4-ranked teams marching into the round armed with a twice-to-beat advantage. There will be no playoffs for the No. 8 spot, as a quotient tiebreak will be implemented.

The PBA will also have nine rule changes to ensure better officiating and fair play.

Players are now allowed to have a team huddle during the coaches’ challenge.

Traveling calls will also be lenient; a player who airballs a shot attempt will be allowed to catch his own miss without being called for an infraction.

Excessive swinging of elbows will be whistled for a technical foul while teams with no more timeouts left calling for a break won’t be called for a technical.

Offensive fouls will now be counted as part of team fouls. However, offensive fouls committed with the team already in penalty won’t result in free throws for the opposing squad.

Missed calls by referees on made two-point, 3-point or four-point attempts within the last two minutes won’t be allowed for a review once the ball is in play.

Offensive interference, meanwhile, should be reviewed immediately while a player throwing a ball to an opposing player’s head in an out-of-bound play, given that the one throwing has a clear vision of the other player, will be called for a flagrant foul penalty 1.

While the penalty rule of two fouls committed by a team in the last two minutes resulting in two free throws for the opposing squad will now be implemented in all quarters instead of just the final canto.

“We will have a lot of changes this season to make the league more exciting,” Marcial said.