DON'T look for players calling timeouts in such tight situations during a PBA game starting this season.
Players' timeout will no longer be enforced for Season 48, one of several new rules the league is set to enforce come the Commissioner's Cup.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said a competition committee was formed to study rule changes to be adopted this season.
And revoking the players' right to call timeouts during games is one of them.
"Napag-kasunduan na wala ng timeouts ang mga player," said Marcial during the Season 48 presser.
The commissioner said the move should help players become more adoptive to FIBA rules especially with the PBA being the primary source of talent when forming roster for the Gilas Pilipinas men's training pool set to compete in international competitions.
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As it is, only coaches are allowed to call timeouts this time.
Coaches' challenge will likewise be formally implemented in the season, but with a little tweak.
Coaches can still challenge a referees' call, but only once. But a successful challenge meant earning another right to contest a call.
An unsuccessful challenge likewise won't result in a team being penalized with one less timeout.
"One challenge ka lang. Kapag naging successful ka, another challenge," said Marcial. "Kung hindi ka naging successful, hindi ka rin naman tatanggalan ng timeout.
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So puwede kang mag-challenge, isa lang. Kapag successful ka, magiging dalawa. Pero walang tatanggalin na timeout (kung hindi ka successful).
The coaches' challenge was initially tested during the pre-season On Tour, where each team is allowed to dispute calls twice in a game - one in the first half and another in the second half.
An unsuccessful challenge though, would result in the team being deducted with one timeout.
But the competition committee has since fine-tuned the rule and altered it to what would be adopted in the coming season.
Coaches of all 12 teams had been briefed regarding changes in the league rules for the season last Oct. 3 at the PBA Office which deputy commissioner Eric Castro presided. (RG)
