Automatic sanctions for misconducts bared

The Philippine Basketball Association will be more strict against on-court misconducts in its new season opening today as the league set new rules aimed at minimizing, if not totally eradicating, tumultuous incidents during games.

The Commissioner’s Office has specified six violations that will result in automatic one-game suspension.

These are unsportsmanlike acts where two technical fouls are assessed, a flagrant foul penalty 2, two flagrant fouls penalty 1, any flagrant misconduct, two unsportsmanlike acts and physical contact on a game official.

Undercutting or tripping a shooter without contact and eye-guarding an opponent, meanwhile, result in a technical foul plus retain of possession for the agrieved team.

All these rules have been incorporated in the updated PBA Rule Book, according to PBA technical chief Perry Martinez.

Several other rule classifications and modifications were discussed and approved for implementation during the coaches meeting a few days back.

Even the league equipment sees a minor improvisation with the introduction of the Molten GL7, a 12-panel basketball that provides better grip for the players. The official basketball net, meanwhile, will now be thinner that allows a quicker exit of the ball.

An intentional grasping of the net, holding on the basket ring or backboard or support with the ball having a chance to score will result in an automatic basket interference. An intentional grasping of the net with the ball having no chance to score will result in a technical foul.

The guidelines for an advantage foul to be called has been modified to not include numerical superiority as a basis for calling such fouls. Advantage foul will now only be called with a clear path to the basket with no defender in between an offensive player and the basket.

On ball-hogging, an offensive player with the ball aggressively guarded by more than one defender cannot hold the ball for more than three seconds before and after a dribble. — Nelson Beltran