(From GMA News)
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is following the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) footsteps in its ambitious bid of expanding Asia’s first play-for-play league.
The PBA, the region’s first professional basketball league, is at the forefront of the merger between struggling clubs – the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and the Liga Pilipinas.
The PBA will initiate the PBL and Liga Pilipinas merger, thus creating its own development league (D-League) patterned similarly from the National Basketball Association Development league (NBDL).
PBA chairman Lito Alvarez, in a telephone interview by GMANews.TV said the league hopes to introduce the new program next season. “This new league is a perfect venue for the (PBL and Liga Pilipinas) teams since they can maintain a squad (in the PBA developmental league) at a low cost."
“If ever they’ve enjoyed competing here and want to take a step a notch higher, then they can apply for membership in the PBA."
Alvarez added that aside from the PBA’s expansion program, the planned developmental league is also their way of preventing the PBL and Liga Pilipinas to close shop. Both leagues might fold up if not restructured.
“Signs are not encouraging," said Alvarez. “We don’t see positive things happening for (both leagues). If we don’t help them, their leagues might die a natural death and this will also be bad for the PBA because they’re our source of talent."
Alvarez said the planned D-League has the full support of the PBA board where they assigned former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia as the head of the committee that would supervise the PBA’s new project.
Assisting Encarnado are alternate board governors Robert Non of Barangay Ginebra and Pato Gregorio of Talk ‘N Text. The group will continue its talks with both executives of the PBL and Liga Pilipinas.
Alvarez has also scheduled a meeting with PBL caretaker Butch Maniego and Liga Pilipinas representative Butch Antonio regarding the proposed merger.
The proposed PBA D-League will also serve as a venue for local and Filipino-foreign players from various collegiate leagues, like the UAAP and NCAA, to hone their skills before entering the PBA Annual Rookie Draft.
“We feel that there were players coming from the collegiate ranks who are not yet ready to enter the PBA and this will be a good opportunity for them to hone their skills more," said Alvarez.
“The Fil-foreign players will be required to complete a number of games before entering the PBA. This will also allow PBA teams to scout prospective players," he added.
Alvarez said the initial format will have the PBL teams forming the Northern Conference while Liga squads will compose the South. “Since Liga teams are used to do a lot of traveling."
PBL’s glory days
The PBL has been the country’s premier amateur league since 1983.
It had its own share of success during the 80s, especially during the time when Cebu-based squads Mama’s Love and Lhuillier Jewelry competed in the league.
Among those who played for the Jun Noel-coached Mama’s Love were brothers Jojo and Dany Lastimosa, Zaldy Realubit, Ric-Ric Marata, Boy Cabahug, Larry Villanil, Norberto Manalili and Anthony Mendoza.
Noel later became the coach of the Negros Slashers in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) and Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL in 2008.
In 1986, Lastimosa and Lim teamed up with Peter Aguilar and Al Solis in leading Lhuillier Jewelry to the championship against the Hope Cigarette squad of Ato Agustin and Leo Isaac.
The league also had its resident superstars from Lim, Lastimosa, Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera, Nelson Asaytono, and brothers Dindo and Franz Pumaren.
“Before, players stay long in the PABL to get themselves ready for the PBA. By the time we enter the PBA we must be 23 years old. By that time we’re already matured to enter the pro league and most of us had already served the national team," said Eric Altamirano, a member of the all-PABL selection national squad that finished third in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, Korea.
But the league changed its identity from being the premier amateur league to becoming a school-based association, duplicating the format of collegiate leagues UAAP and NCAA.
“Now the PBL became more Manila-based. Unlike before provincial teams are welcome to join," said Lastimosa, who added that Cebuanos, who are either working or studying in Manila, would troop to the oven-hot Rizal Memorial Coliseum to watch the games of Mama’s Love and Lhuillier Jewelry before.
New league for provincial teams
Liga Pilipinas, which was founded in 2008, became the new venue for provincial-based squads and produced such talents like Jared Dillinger, Mark Yee and Ramsay Williams, now all playing in the PBA.
Recent struggles
But the PBL and Liga Pilipinas have struggled lately due to dwindling number of teams and no solid fan base forcing the PBA to step into the picture and propose a merger of both leagues.
“On our own, each of the 10 (PBA) teams could adopt its own team through lottery," said Non. “For sure, we have to get this new league going and the thing that must be clear to everybody is, the PBA is the overall authority."
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is following the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) footsteps in its ambitious bid of expanding Asia’s first play-for-play league.
The PBA, the region’s first professional basketball league, is at the forefront of the merger between struggling clubs – the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and the Liga Pilipinas.
The PBA will initiate the PBL and Liga Pilipinas merger, thus creating its own development league (D-League) patterned similarly from the National Basketball Association Development league (NBDL).
PBA chairman Lito Alvarez, in a telephone interview by GMANews.TV said the league hopes to introduce the new program next season. “This new league is a perfect venue for the (PBL and Liga Pilipinas) teams since they can maintain a squad (in the PBA developmental league) at a low cost."
“If ever they’ve enjoyed competing here and want to take a step a notch higher, then they can apply for membership in the PBA."
Alvarez added that aside from the PBA’s expansion program, the planned developmental league is also their way of preventing the PBL and Liga Pilipinas to close shop. Both leagues might fold up if not restructured.
“Signs are not encouraging," said Alvarez. “We don’t see positive things happening for (both leagues). If we don’t help them, their leagues might die a natural death and this will also be bad for the PBA because they’re our source of talent."
Alvarez said the planned D-League has the full support of the PBA board where they assigned former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia as the head of the committee that would supervise the PBA’s new project.
Assisting Encarnado are alternate board governors Robert Non of Barangay Ginebra and Pato Gregorio of Talk ‘N Text. The group will continue its talks with both executives of the PBL and Liga Pilipinas.
Alvarez has also scheduled a meeting with PBL caretaker Butch Maniego and Liga Pilipinas representative Butch Antonio regarding the proposed merger.
The proposed PBA D-League will also serve as a venue for local and Filipino-foreign players from various collegiate leagues, like the UAAP and NCAA, to hone their skills before entering the PBA Annual Rookie Draft.
“We feel that there were players coming from the collegiate ranks who are not yet ready to enter the PBA and this will be a good opportunity for them to hone their skills more," said Alvarez.
“The Fil-foreign players will be required to complete a number of games before entering the PBA. This will also allow PBA teams to scout prospective players," he added.
Alvarez said the initial format will have the PBL teams forming the Northern Conference while Liga squads will compose the South. “Since Liga teams are used to do a lot of traveling."
PBL’s glory days
The PBL has been the country’s premier amateur league since 1983.
It had its own share of success during the 80s, especially during the time when Cebu-based squads Mama’s Love and Lhuillier Jewelry competed in the league.
Among those who played for the Jun Noel-coached Mama’s Love were brothers Jojo and Dany Lastimosa, Zaldy Realubit, Ric-Ric Marata, Boy Cabahug, Larry Villanil, Norberto Manalili and Anthony Mendoza.
Noel later became the coach of the Negros Slashers in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) and Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL in 2008.
In 1986, Lastimosa and Lim teamed up with Peter Aguilar and Al Solis in leading Lhuillier Jewelry to the championship against the Hope Cigarette squad of Ato Agustin and Leo Isaac.
The league also had its resident superstars from Lim, Lastimosa, Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera, Nelson Asaytono, and brothers Dindo and Franz Pumaren.
“Before, players stay long in the PABL to get themselves ready for the PBA. By the time we enter the PBA we must be 23 years old. By that time we’re already matured to enter the pro league and most of us had already served the national team," said Eric Altamirano, a member of the all-PABL selection national squad that finished third in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, Korea.
But the league changed its identity from being the premier amateur league to becoming a school-based association, duplicating the format of collegiate leagues UAAP and NCAA.
“Now the PBL became more Manila-based. Unlike before provincial teams are welcome to join," said Lastimosa, who added that Cebuanos, who are either working or studying in Manila, would troop to the oven-hot Rizal Memorial Coliseum to watch the games of Mama’s Love and Lhuillier Jewelry before.
New league for provincial teams
Liga Pilipinas, which was founded in 2008, became the new venue for provincial-based squads and produced such talents like Jared Dillinger, Mark Yee and Ramsay Williams, now all playing in the PBA.
Recent struggles
But the PBL and Liga Pilipinas have struggled lately due to dwindling number of teams and no solid fan base forcing the PBA to step into the picture and propose a merger of both leagues.
“On our own, each of the 10 (PBA) teams could adopt its own team through lottery," said Non. “For sure, we have to get this new league going and the thing that must be clear to everybody is, the PBA is the overall authority."
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