WITH HIGH hopes of sustaining the gains of a successful season, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is adopting two major innovations aimed to benefit the fans more.
Starting its 32nd season, the league will have the Araneta Coliseum as its regular playing venue every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The move, however, may fully take effect by 2007 yet since the Big Dome already has some advance bookings for weekend concerts and activities for the rest of the year 2006.
The Big Dome is considered the original home of the PBA after holding its inaugural games on the venue on the night of April 9, 1975.
"We’ve decided to have the games played in a regular playing venue in order for fans not to get confused on where and when the games will be held on a particular day. Afterall, the fans are the lifeblood of the PBA," said Commissioner Noli Eala.
But Eala pointed out the league is not shunning away from playing in other arenas as it is likewise set to hold its Saturday games on non-traditional venues like the Olivares College gym in Parañaque, Ninoy Aquino Stadium and The Arena in San Juan.
In addition, the PBA is also slashing ticket prices at the upper box A section by 30 percent on weekdays while general admission is pegged at R5 only until the qualification phase of the Philippine Cup.
Last season, the league adopted the P5 ticket price for general admission section under its so called "Give Me 5" promo that was a big hit among PBA fans.
The league is also holding games outside of the country, with the 2006-07 season set to unfurl with an official match in Guam on Sept. 22 pitting Red Bull against Alaska. Right now, there are ongoing talks on possible visits by the league in Singapore, Dubai and Australia.
The PBA held an overseas game in Hong Kong last season during the recent Philippine Cup. Talk ‘N Text won that one over Purefoods, 88-66.
MLQU halts PMI
MANUEL LUIS Quezon University (MLQU) stunned defending champion Philippine Maritime Institutes (PMI), 70-67, to grab the solo lead in the 12th Colleges and Universities Sports Association (CUSA) basketball tournament yesterday at the Central Colleges of the Philippines Gym in Sta. Mesa.
Rolando Manalansan topscored for the MLQU with 16 points as they roared to their third straight win.
MLQU head coach Jojo Castillo credited the team’s defense for the win as they limited the usually explosive Larry Rodriguez to just 17 points. PMI slipped to 3-1.
In other matches, World Citi Colleges (WCC) defeated Philippine College of Criminology (PCCr), 80-63, while University of Assumption-Pampanga tripped De La Salle-Araneta University (DLS-AU), 74-58.
SSC-Cavite scores twinkill
CAVITE CITY — San Sebastian College-Cavite completed a twinkill, beating Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay, 78-61, in the senior division and University of Makati, 71-48, in the junior category in the 2006 NAASCU basketball tournament at the SSC gym here.
Jerome Cenita, P.J. Villaver, Oliver Villareal and Glen Bolocon scored almost at will to lead the Edgar Macaraya-mentored Baycats to their eighth wins in nine matches.
Cenita finished with 16 points while Villaver added 15 for the Cavite City-based Baycats, who are making- their debut in this six-year-old league.
Benedict Gawat topscored with 19 points for the Eagles, who closed out in seventh place with a 3-6 win-loss record.
The Baby Baycats also drew balanced production from Mark Serrano and two other mainstays to subdue the Baby Wizards and raise their record to 4-1 in the junior category.
St. Jude, NCBA triumph
ST. JUDE College and National College of Business and Arts (NCBA) took different paths before beating their repective rivals to keep their share of the lead in the first M.S. Miranda Cup invitational volleyball tournament at the MMC gym in Novaliches, Quezon City.
St. Jude outduelled Metro Manila College, 25-19, 25-13, 22-25, 25-21, while NCBA blanked Centro Escolar University, 25-13, 25-16, 25-21 for their third straight wins in the men’s division.
Equally impressive was Philippine Maritime Institute, which trounced Philippine College of Criminology, 25-12, 25-22, 25-11, to keep pace with its second straight win.
La Salle-Araneta University downed New Era University, 25-20, 25-19, 25-11, to barge into the win column after two straight losses.
In the lone women’s division match, MMC walloped PCCr, 25-12, 25-13, 25-23.
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