PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial during a press conference before the PBA Philippine Cup Finals Game 1. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—There will be some notable changes in the PBA’s rules when it comes to imports next season.
The Commissioner’s Cup will now allow unlimited height for imports, scrapping the previously imposed limit of a 6-foot-9, according to league chief Willie Marcial.
This change could pave the way for the likes of former Gilas Pilipinas player Andray Blatche and ex-NBA standout Dwight Howard to suit up for teams in the mid-season tournament.
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“The board has agreed with my proposal to have unlimited height for the Commissioner’s Cup,” said Marcial before Game 1 of the PBA Finals last Wednesday, also announcing that the PBA is returning to the three-conference format: Governors’ Cup, Commissioner’s Cup then Philippine Cup.
The other import conference–the Governors’ Cup, which will usher in the new PBA season on August 8–will remain with a cap of 6-foot-6 for the reinforcements.
There will also be a whole new format for the first conference, adding more flavor to the upcoming season.
The 12 PBA teams will be divided into two pools. Teams in each pool with play in a double round-robin format while facing the other pool’s teams once in the elimination round.
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The playoffs format will have the same implications, minus the twice-to-beat advantages.
“There’ll be a new format. Governors Cup will have six and six [teams] in two groups… They’ll face their group mates twice and the other side’s teams once for a crossover. Quarterfinals will be best-of-five, semifinals will be a best-of-seven and Finals will be best-of-seven.”
“The other two conferences remain the same. Single round.”
Marcial also said he proposed the possibility of teams having two imports for the Commissioner’s Cup if the PBA successfully invites a guest team.
“There’s a proposal to maybe have two imports. It’s still a ‘maybe’ now because it will depend on whether a guest team would join, “Marcial said.
“Teams will have two imports if the team we’re talking to right now agrees to join. It’ll be a foreign team and we’re still talking.”