PBA back in full swing

After a break since Aug. 14 to make way for the fourth FIBA World Cup Asia qualifying window and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, PBA is back on track starting with a Governors Cup doubleheader at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium today. NLEX faces Macau in the first game and Terrafirma takes on TNT in the nightcap. The eliminations end Oct. 21 then the quarterfinals reel off on Oct. 25 to end Nov. 8. PBA takes another break on Nov. 9-Dec. 3 for the fifth FIBA World Cup Asia qualifying window. It will return with the semifinals on Dec. 4-13 and the Finals on Dec. 16-30. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be a series of best-of-five affairs while the finals will be a best-of-seven battle.

New imports will be unveiled, making the final stretch of the eliminations even more intriguing. TNT will be bannered by 6-5 1/2 Nick Hornsby in place of Rhalir Hollis-Jefferson, Ginebra by 6-5 3/8 Jordan Murphy in place of Riley Grigsby, Phoenix by 6-4 3/4 Marcellus Earlington in place of BJ Johnson, NLEX by 6-4 1/4 Deonte Burton in place of Dequan Jones and Macau by 6-3 Oscar Lopez in place of De’Vondre Perry. For TNT, an exciting development is Jayson Castro’s return. Additionally, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is waiting in the wings to spring back to action. Jeo Ambohot is a new face on TNT’s lineup. Titan is bringing in veteran RR Garcia and rookie RJ Deles who went undrafted in 2021 from Benilde.

Guest team Macau has undergone a massive facelift not only losing Perry but also key mainstays Jenning Leung, Damian Chongqui and Ray Cao. Lopez, 29, was on the Cambodian squad that lost to Gilas in the 2023 SEA Games final. He averaged 8.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in five SEA Games outings. Lopez played two years at DePaul University and one at Central Michigan University before seeing action in Mexico, Taiwan and Macau.

Aside from Lopez, two new players on coach Marcus Elliott’s roster are Chen Li Hsin and Chong Pong Lao. Chen, 26, played on the Macau squad in the last Commissioner’s Cup. Chong, a 6-3 forward, hit at a 10.1 clip with Macau in the same Commissioner’s Cup. The Giant Pandas’ record in the Governors Cup is 2-6 with three games left against NLEX, Terrafirma and Converge.