By REYNALD MAGALLON
The PBA had already made some adjustments to the schedule for the rest of the Season 48 to give way to the Gilas Pilipinas’ preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup qualifying windows and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
The league had compressed its Finals schedule for the 2023-’24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup for the February window of the Asia Cup qualifiers while also adjusting the opening of the Philippine Cup to ensure the release of PBA players to the national team in time for the OQT in July.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial shared that the start of the Philippine Cup is now slated on Feb. 28 instead of the initial schedule of March 3. On the initial schedule, the All-Filipino conference is expected to end, at the latest in late June which will then run smack into the 10-day preparation time Gilas head coach Tim Cone asked for the OQT on July 2 to 7 in Riga, Latvia.
That prompted the move according to Marcial, especially since PBA players form the core of the new Gilas lineup which will take on Georgia and Latvia.
“Nag-adjust kami para sa Gilas. Dapat sa March 3 ang opening (Philippine Cup), pero tatamaan kasi yun (OQT), kaya (Feb 28) na ang opening,” said Marcial. “Kaya tinatanong na namin kung ano yung mga windows, para ia-adjust na namin yung schedule.”
Apart from the OQT, the PBA also made a tweak on its schedule for the PBA Finals to ensure that the nationals will have enough preparation for the February window.
Marcial explained that initially, there should be a one day gap between the end of the semifinals and finals, but compressed the schedule which resulted in the Game 1 between San Miguel and Magnolia being scheduled on Friday, Feb. 2 instead of Sunday. Feb. 4.
The Finals will run until Feb. 16 if it reaches Game 7, giving enough time for Gilas to get the seven-day preparation time head coach Tim Cone asked for. Gilas is set to face Hong Kong on Feb. 22 and Chinese Taipei on the 25th.
“Etong finals nga dapat may gap ito ng isang araw. Dapat Linggo pa. Pero ito ay dahil sa Gilas, para mapakawalan na natin sa national team yung mga players na kailangan,” noted Marcial referring to the Beermen’s CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo who are also part of the Gilas 12.