NEW RULES TO INJECT MORE EXCITEMENT TO 33RD PBA SEASON

Games to be more physical, fast-paced
Philippine Basketball Association website
Monday, 01 October 2007

Physical + fast-paced action = more EXCITEMENT.

This is what the 33rd season of the PBA promises to offer after the Board of Governors approved the new rules that will give the game more color and more action.

Officer In-Charge Sonny Barrios admitted the changes to be adopted will help make the game more exciting.

“Gusto kasi natin na may konting physical `yung game, for it to become more fast-paced and exciting,” said Barrios.

The controlled handcheck – a rule intended not to impede the offense of the game – is one of the new rules proposed by Barrios before the Board as the PBA, slowly but surely, tries to adapt to the physical brand of play that has been the norm in international competitions.

The league OIC however, refused to mention the rule in the same breath as the no-harm, no-foul play implemented by former commissioner Mariano Yenko and
deputy commissioner Tommy Manotoc in 1985.

“Through this new rule, we’ll be able to see `yung ganda ng laro and `yung skills ng mga players. It’s a way of letting the players play and decide the game by its own merit,” he added.

Also approved by the Board is the new three-point arc, which is now nearer the basket at 20 feet and 6 inches from its original distance of 22 feet. The league will now be reverting back to the trapezoid shaded lane like that being used in FIBA competitions.

The new rules were in effect in the recently-concluded Pre-Season Tournament which received favorable responses from the Board.

“From a fans’ point of view, mas magiging exciting ang games this season,” said league chairman Tony Chua.