There will be only one jump ball in PBA games starting in the Governors’ Cup—or two (or three, or four) if extra time is needed.
This comes after the league approved a rule tweak to implement the possession arrow in lieu of the jump ball other than the one to start the game or every overtime period. The change was announced by PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial in a press conference prior to the open practice coach Tim Cone held for Gilas Pilipinas on Monday.
With this tweak, all situations that previously required a jump ball, like a tie‑up or a wedged ball, will be settled by the possession arrow. This means the ball goes to whichever team the possession arrow is pointed at. It then resets in overtime, where a jump ball takes place to restart the action.
10‑Minute Quarters a No‑Go in the PBA
The introduction of the possession arrow is yet another step by the PBA to align league rules with those of FIBA so that PBA players can adjust to officiating in the international game. That doesn’t mean, though, that the league will start adopting 10‑minute quarters any time soon, as the PBA, according to Vice Chairman Al Chua, needs to take into account the interests of the franchises that make up Asia’s first and oldest pay‑for‑play league.
“If we’re gonna do 10 minutes, talo naman ‘yung mga kumpanya, ‘yung sa marketing, sa advertising nung kumpanya…,” Chua reasoned out. “The timeouts will be the same. Ganun pa rin dapat, hindi pwedeng igsian because of the TV coverage…”
Chua added that the PBA won’t do away with the four‑point line—at least in the foreseeable future. The league added the extra line from distance in Season 49 and has arguably added a layer of complexity to each game, particularly in close endgame situations. However, it remains a novelty in the global world of hoops.
For now, the four‑point shot gimmick stays. But the jump ball has been reimagined.
