The PBA has previously announced it will align its officiating with FIBA standards. In line with this directive, the league has already introduced the use of the possession arrow in lieu of jump balls. This, however, is not the only rule tweak the PBA will implement. Here are the others:
Rule Tweaks for PBA Governors’ Cup
One Coach’s Challenge Per Team Only
Over the past two seasons, each coach had one challenge per half, which could be used provided the team still had a timeout left. Under the rule, the timeout was kept if the challenge was successful and burned if unsuccessful. Starting next conference, there will be just one challenge per team regardless of whether it has a timeout or not. There will also be no timeout penalty when the challenge is unsuccessful.
Penalty Will Revert Back to Old Rule
To start Season 50, the PBA tweaked its rule on penalty. Under this tweak, a team would enter penalty on the second foul inside the last two minutes of a quarter except in the fourth. Meaning, a team could go without a foul in the first 10 minutes of the quarter but still be in penalty after one foul in the last two minutes. This rule change was implemented to prevent a team with multiple fouls left from repeatedly fouling in last-second situations. Starting in the Governors’ Cup, the league will revert to the old rule where a team enters penalty after accumulating five fouls throughout a quarter.
No More Transition, Advantage, and Deliberate Fouls
Starting in the Governors’ Cup, transition take fouls, advantage fouls, and deliberate fouls will fall under the general umbrella of unsportsmanlike fouls.
League Brings Back Group Play for Governors’ Cup
Aside from implementing rule tweaks starting next conference, the PBA will also be adjusting the format of the Governors’ Cup. Instead of the single round-robin format used in the first two tournaments of Season 50, the season-ending tourney will bring back the group play system used in Season 49’s Governors’ Cup.
In this format, the 13 teams, including guest team Macau Giant Pandas, will be grouped into two. Group A will be made up of the San Miguel Beermen, TNT Tropang 5G, Converge FiberXers, Titan Ultra Giant Risers, NLEX Road Warriors, Terrafirma Dyip, and Macau. Group B, on the other hand, will be composed of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Meralco Bolts, Magnolia Hotshots, Phoenix Fuel Masters, and Blackwater Bossing.
Each group will play a double round-robin, with the top four teams advancing to the best-of-three quarterfinals. The Governors’ Cup is expected to conclude in December.
Tip-off is in July.
