2-tourney format okayed

The PBA board of governors approved yesterday the reformatting of the league calendar, reducing the season into two regular tournaments plus a short invitational with the flagship tourney All-Filipino kicking off the season on Feb. 16.

The board likewise approved the application of the old PBA rules with some modifications from the FIBA rules.

Newly-appointed commissioner Noli Eala recommended names he wanted to occupy key positions under him. The board, however, has yet to approve the recommendation pending a meeting by the PBA executive committee with the aspirants.

At the same time, Eala announced that Darryl Garretson, the head of the NBA referees, is coming over to train the PBA referees for a month starting Feb. 1. Eala is inviting new referees to apply in the league as they intend to increase the PBA pool of game officials.

The All-Filipino ushers in the season on Feb. 16 at the Araneta Coliseum and it will last until the middle of July with the 10 teams playing 18 games each in the eliminations under the two-group, inter-intra format.

The four top teams from the two groups advance to the quarters and figure in a one-round-robin affair. The best two teams from each group then move to the cross-over semifinals, playing a best-of-five series. The winners clash in a best-of-seven duel for the championship.

The invitational will be played in between the All-Filipino and the Reinforced Conferences. The best five teams in the All-Filipino automatically qualify for the invitational. The next five dispute the last slot in a separate one-round-robin affair.

Eala said they have started making representations with Korea and Japan, eyeing a club team each from the two countries to play in the tourney.

The PBA will return to a 12-minute-per-quarter game but will continue to allow the use of the zone defense.