By el Amigo
MANILA — The long wait is over for the PBA as the Season 50 Governors’ Cup swings back into action Wednesday, with the playoff picture beginning to take shape after a nearly two-month international break.
The conference last saw action on Aug. 14 before the league stepped aside for Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the national team’s title defense at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The comeback starts with a Group A doubleheader at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. NLEX battles Macau Black Knights at 5:15 p.m., while defending champion TNT faces Terrafirma at 7:30 p.m.
NLEX and San Miguel enter the resumption tied for first in Group A with 7-2 records. Converge is third at 5-4, with TNT at 4-4 and Terrafirma at 3-5. The top four teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals.
There is little room for error in Group B as well. Rain or Shine leads the group at 4-2, with Magnolia and Phoenix close behind at 4-3. Blackwater is at 3-3, while Meralco is 3-5 and Ginebra is 2-4.
The break was particularly significant for players who represented Gilas in Japan. The Asiad roster was composed entirely of PBA players, including NLEX’s Robert Bolick; TNT’s Calvin Oftana and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser; San Miguel’s Jerrick Ahanmisi and Don Trollano; Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos; Converge’s Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar; Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero; Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum; Meralco’s Brandon Bates; and Blackwater’s Sedrick Barefield.
The PBA will also roll out updated officiating guidelines patterned after FIBA rules when play resumes. Among the changes are revised classifications involving unsportsmanlike and technical fouls.
Following Wednesday’s games, the Governors’ Cup continues Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo and Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With the international commitments now behind them, the teams return to the floor knowing that every game will carry greater weight in the race for the eight crossover quarterfinal slots.
