RIDING the crest of a historic Asian Games triumph, the Philippine Basketball Association reopens shop with great excitement and enthusiasm, pitting Magnolia and TNT Tropang Giga on Nov. 5 to highlight the Season 48 opener at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It promises to be a grand event, celebrating the return of the PBA from a long break and feting a special team and the special feat it accomplished in the recent Asiad in Hangzhou, China.
During the official season launch at the Diamond Hotel, PBA chairman Ricky Vargas cited achievement and milestones reached by the league in Season 47 - a great ride capped by Gilas Pilipinas' epic gold-medal run in the Hangzhou Games.
The conquering Asiad heroes are Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee, Gin Kings Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, San Miguel's June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter, NorthPort's Arvin Tolentino, NLEX's Kevin Alas, TNT's Calvin Oftana, Meralco's Chris Newsome, and Ange Kouame.
"The year ended by us taking the challenge of building a hastily-formed team and we came home with the gold. The PBA is now the gold standard of basketball in the Philippines, that's what I think. But more importantly, we're the best in Asia for the next four years," said Vargas, to cheers from those present in the well-attended affair.
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PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said a special tribute to the gold medal winners will be a part of what is tipped to be a grand season opener ushered in by the Season 47 Leo Awards.
"Maganda ang opening. It's very special at magandang abangan," said Marcial of the event to be seen on PBA's new home ZOE Broadcasting Network as well as on One Sports and PBA Rush on Cignal TV.
The league is implementing new league rules as it sticks with its Wednesday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday playdates but with 4 p.m. curtain-raisers and 8 p.m. mainers.
With the entry of new faces, including a number of marquee Fil-foreign players, team officials look forward to more competitive games this season which is limited to two conferences - the Commissioner's Cup and the Philippine Cup.
"We built our team again and we now have a fighting team," said vice chairman Bobby Rosales of Terrafirma, the team which acquired Stephen Holt as the first pick in the recent draft.
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"We have a successful draft and we're excited with our pick. We have a new coaching staff and an exciting import. We see a exciting season," said William Pamintuan of the Meralco Bolts.
Now under the tutelage of Luigi Trillo, the Bolts had a prized catch in the draft in Brandon Matthew Bates.
The consensus from among the league governors is that the recent draft improved the league balance although the old powers remain as the odds-on picks.
Other governors present were Raymond Zorrilla of Phoenix Super LPG, Rene Pardo of Magnolia, Mert Mondragon of Rain or Shine, Robert Non of San Miguel Beer, Silliman Sy of Blackwater, Alfrancis Chua of Barangay Ginebra and Erick Arejola of NorthPort.
They're a united front playing a key role in the national team bringing home the Asiad crown for the first time in 61 years.
"Pero galit, galit na muna tayo," said the league vice chairman as to the competition in the coming Season 48 wars. (SB)
