5 new rule changes in PBA
September 7, 2007

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is leaning toward adopting certain FIBA rules after the league's competition committee approved five rule changes that will be tested first in the preseason tournament

The five-man committee, headed by Chito Salud, started to disseminate the rule changes to the 10 member-teams yesterday afternoon and they will seek the approval of the board in their next meeting. First among the changes is that the league will shorten the three-point distance from 22 feet to 20 feet. The rule, the committee said, will definitely increase scores and may affect the slasher-type player as the space he needs to operate will be lessen.

The three-second area will now have a shape of a trapezoid instead of the previous rectangle, giving post-up players more space to maneuver. The hand-check rule will now be allowed as the league noticed that in the tournaments sanctioned by FIBA, the referees are allowing such move.

"The referee will give the defensive player some leeway but the referee can decide if he restricts the movement of the offensive player," said Perry Martinez, member of the committee and also the league's technical head.

The other rule change is the last two minutes penalty situation. Here, when a team commits two fouls in the last two minutes of each quarter even if it has not committed the usual five fouls, that team will be in penalty.

The rationale behind, the committee explained, is to discourage a team that saves fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game and uses the allowed fouls in the remaining two minutes that may prolong the game.

The "free ball" rule will also be implemented in the coming preseason tourney, which will start tomorrow. This rule allows an opposing player to interfere with the ball even if it is still on the ring.

Besides Salud, son of former PBA Commissioner Rudy Salud, and Martinez, the other members of the competition committee are Tim Cone from the coaches' side, PBA operations head Rickie Santos, Samboy Lim from the team managers' sector and Gregorio Llaguno, the league's referee supervisor.

According to Martinez, there were actually eight proposed changes for the coming season upon consulting with former National Basketball Association referee Allan Henderson, but the committee opted to implement five."Why these five? They can affect the game for sure but they are the safest to implement," said Martinez.

According to Santos, one member suggested to copy the FIBA style on substitution where each team can sub as many players as it wants in any dead-ball situation.

"That one was not approved because it will delay the game for at least 10 minutes. Hindi kaya ng PBA na ma-delay ng ganung katagal ang laro," said Santos.

"Hindi naman lahat ng FIBA rules, gagamitin natin. Unti-unti muna and from there, tingnan natin kung magiging exciting ang laro with those rule changes," Santos added.

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NBC players made it to the PBA
August 27, 2007

SEVEN former National Basketball Conference players have realized the first step of their dream to play in the PBA after being picked in the 2007 Annual PBA Rookie Draft a week ago.

Samigue Eman and Ryan Reyes, who have played for the RP-Cebuana Lhuillier in 2005 under Boysie Zamar has been picked by San Miguel Beermen and Sta. Lucia Realty as the second and third pick overall, respectively.

Eman has been offered a two-year contract by the winningest ballclub in the league while Reyes got a three-year pact in the Realtors' camp.

Burly JR Quiñahan and Ardy Larong, who played for the league's inaugural national champion Tribu Sugbu in 2004 were tabbed by the Alaska Aces in the first and second round, respectively.

Larong also played for the Mantawi Sparkling Nights and was a member of the NBC selection, which swept the 9th Crown Prince Cup in Thailand, in 2005.

Sta. Lucia's second round pick Melvin Mamaclay was given a two-year deal. The lanky shooter was a key player in Pagadian Explorers' entry to the national finals right in their first conference in the league last year.

RJ Masbang and Ronjay Buenafe, on the other hand, who were picked by Air21 and Coca-Cola in the second round, played for Harbour Centre-Bacchus team last year.

"We're happy that these players have reached their goal of playing in the PBA after starting their careers with us in the amateur commercial ranks. In behalf of the league's board and the team owners, I wish them well in their professional careers," NBC President Nathaniel "Tac" Padilla said.

After a successful staging of their fourth season won by the Firefly-Iligan Crusaders, the league has now set its sight on winning the Annual Kwan Hu Invitational Cup to be held in Hua Lien, Taiwan on Oct. 3-8.

"The league will be busy in the off-season joining international meets and plot the next season, which will be divided into two conference - the regional cup and the national cup - set to open on February next year," NBC Secretary-general Tito Palma said.

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