THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Asia’s oldest professional basketball league, has returned for its 49th season, and fans were welcomed back to the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Sunday with an entertaining opening day.
The PBA provided player performances, the much-anticipated PBA Leo Awards, and recognized the Filipino Olympians all on the first day.
Not to mention the much anticipated 4-point line, which debuted as well.
Photo Courtesy: PBA Images
With the goal of bringing back the glory days of the PBA, when every arena they enter would undoubtedly be crowded, the league established numerous new rules to make the game more engaging for the players and entertaining for the viewers.
Game day
The league has had a fresh start this season, with several new elements included that may be temporary or permanent. This season, teams will be separated into two brackets: Groups A and B.
Group A consists of Converge, NorthPort, Magnolia, TerraFirma, TNT, and Meralco. Meanwhile, Group B consists of Blackwater, NLEX, Ginebra, Phoenix, Rain or Shine, and San Miguel.
Meralco Bolts defeated Magnolia Hotshots 99-94, with returning import Allen Durham leading the way with a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds, as well as two assists and one steal.
Meanwhile, Chris Banchero added 14 points, including the PBA’s first-ever four-pointer. Jolo Mendoza and Chris Newsome finished with 13 points each.
In a losing effort, Glen Robinson III gave his best to lead his team with a double-double of 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Ian Sangalang and Paul Lee added 17 and 14 points, respectively.
PBA Leo Awards
Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, the league’s best of the best were represented. As expected, June Mar Fajardo again received the highest individual accolade, a record-setting eighth PBA Most Valuable Player title.
Despite an up and down Season 48 due to injuries, the 6-foot-10 Cebuano earned the title. Nonetheless, he is keen to win another one this year, as he shows no signs of slowing down his dominance in the league.
Stephen Holt, who averaged 17.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.9 SPG, led his former team TerraFirma Dyip to their first quarterfinal appearance in eight years and won the Rookie of the Year.
The first Mythical Team included largely of Gilas Pilipinas regulars Fajardo, Christian Standhardinger (TerraFirma), Arvin Tolentino (NorthPort), CJ Perez (San Miguel), and Chris Newsome (Meralco).
Cliff Hodge (Meralco), Calvin Oftana (TNT), Jason Perkins (Phoenix), Holt (Ginebra), and Juami Tiongson (TerraFirma) made up the Second Mythical Team for Season 48.
The All-Defensive Team included Hodge, Fajardo, Kemark Cariño (TerraFirma), Joshua Munzon (NorthPort), and Newsome.
Other individual honors included Rain or Shine’s Jhonard Clarito being named Most Improved Player and NorthPort’s Paul Zamar receiving the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award.
Tomorrow, August 20, Group B’s Blackwater Bossing will face the Rain or Shine Elastopainters at 5:00 PM, followed by Group A’s NorthPort Batang Pier and TNT Tropang Giga at 7:30 PM.
