A ‘new’ PBA

By: Zean Macamay
People's Journal
October 9, 2007

The Philippine Basketball Association surely misses the time of its glory years when action was aplenty, and big names and teams ruled.

Those times certainly have faded, but not lost.

“If I would describe the games today, I would say that they are slow,” said PBA officer-in-charge Sonny Barrios after yesterday’s media conference for the 33rd season of the league that starts this Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

“Slow in a sense because of the ‘kalabit fouls.’ Nawawala yung action sa game. Nasisira yung flow at tuloy, nagiging boring.”

The Philippine Cup kicks off five days from now with the hope that it could bring the crowd back because of what a player does, and not because of what a player looks as it attempts to pull together a slambang season and forget everything that had happened under its former leader.

“Nawala na kasi yung asim eh,” said Barrios, referring to the game normally witnessed by fans today. “We are looking forward to an action-packed, fast-paced type of game. We expect the players to play their hearts out, dive for every loose ball, fight for every rebound, everything.”

The league’s slogan for the season will be ‘Laban Ng Mga Bida,’ and Barrios, who willingly accepted the OIC job even if he will not be the permanent commissioner, jokingly said that the theme could always be altered to ‘Laban Ng Mga Pogi’ if ever the players prioritize how they way they appear on the big screen.

Barrios also said: “If players don’t like that kind of stuff, they should just go and play chess, or monopoly.” Monopoly is a board game where the aim of one player is to get rich as much as possible.

In trying to do that, the PBA has decided to be lenient on ‘touch fouls,’ which is called on a defensive player every time his hand contact is ‘in sight’ of the offensive player.

Starting this season, a defensive player can get away with a hand check if ever it is deemed by the referee as non-impeding on the path of an offensive player.

That translates to an offensive player having lesser room for comfort, while giving a defensive player more options.

At the same time, the PBA has adopted some FIBA rules, one of which is the shortening of the three-point line. Before, the PBA’s rainbow territory is 22 feet. Now, it has been reduced to 20 feet, meaning that the season to come could transform into high-scoring matches.

The goal-tending rule has also amended. A player now can touch the ball after it hits the ring during an attempt, leaving out the imaginary cylinder.

The league has also altered team foul situations in the last two minutes, wherein a team that commits a second foul in that stretch automatically gives the opposing team two free throws and penalty situation. And in overtime periods, two team fouls are allowed before a team gets into penalty.

“Because of the international tournaments, we have adopted these rules. It’s a kind of muscle memory not only for the players, but also for the coaches and referees,” said Barrios.