Zorrilla: League balance has improved

MILAN – Only three teams have alternated on winning the PBA championships in the last 10 tournaments but a league governor is convinced league balance has improved, which he sees as something that could lead to more exciting PBA games.

Phoenix Pulse top official Raymond Zorrilla cited their top showing in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup eliminations then the NLEX Road Warriors’ own rise in the Governors Cup elims.

“Teams are improving. The so-called underdogs before are really playing and winning. That’s something not usual. Teams are improving, and hopefully that includes us,” said Zorrilla ahead of the PBA summit at the Grand Rosa Hotel near the famous Duomo Cathedral in Italy’s fashion capital.

But with not much player movements in the off-season and the absence of rookies in the caliber of a June Mar Fajardo or a Greg Slaughter, the ruling powerhouses could still be the favorites in PBA Season 45 that unwraps on March 1.

 San Miguel Beer chases a Philippine Cup six-peat while Barangay Ginebra seeks a fifth crown in 11 tourneys. Then there are the regular contenders Magnolia, TNT KaTropa, Meralco, Alaska Milk and Rain or Shine.

The rest hope they’ve done their assignments in the off-season to be able to compete.

One of them is Phoenix, which hopes to duplicate its breakthrough top finish in the 2019 All-Filipino prelims anchored on Calvin Abueva, Matthew Wright and RJ Jazul.

But Zorrilla said theirs is a retooled lineup and “we won’t get to see what’s in it until we actually play.”

“Based on what we saw, we definitely lack the manpower. It’s not the same team. We made a few trades; one has retired (Doug Kramer) and one is still out (Calvin Abueva),” said Zorrilla.

“It’s a different team but hopefully with the same passion and intensity no matter who the players are. Hopefully, it will just bear fruits. We’re not targeting that (top finish in the elims) anymore. Hopefully, we enter the quarterfinals and we’d take it from there,” Zorrilla also said.

They took in Jake Pascual to fill in the spot vacated by Kramer. Other new faces include free-agent acquisition Jansen Rios and trade recruits Brian Heruela and Sol Mercado.

Before leaving Manila, Zorrilla said their team manager Paolo Bugia was still negotiating with Mercado, whose signing rights they acquired in exchange for LA Revilla and Rey Guevarra.

“We need someone like him. If we agree on terms, (we’ll sign him). There’s progress (in the negotiation),” said Zorrilla.

But even with Mercado, Zorrilla feels they’re a low-tier team.

“We’re below the middle. We have a number of new guys and we still to need jell. But we started early in training. Hopefully, a two-month practice is enough,” he said.