Big imports in the Philippine Basketball Association will return to spotlight, marking the first time in years that Asia’s pioneering professional basketball league is bringing back reinforcements of unlimited height.
The wisdom on tapping imports with no height limit is to give teams an opportunity of reinforcing their respective squads and one way of making up for their weaknesses.
We’ve seen that for the last time with Terrafirma, then carrying the brand Kia, which was able to bring in a 7-foot-3 import in PJ Ramos as reinforcement.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial told media that imports of unlimited height will be back in next season’s Commissioner’s Cup, which remains as the second conference to be played in the three-conference format of the league.
Traditionally, the league begins its season with the Philippine Cup, but the PBA is giving a new twist for the 50th season as Marcial confirmed, as approved by the board of governors, that they plan to stage the most prestigious tournament to coincide with the league’s anniversary and use it as the season-ending conference.
This marks the first time since 2002 that the league is holding the Governors’ Cup as the season-opening conference.
The biggest development, however, is the league’s announcement of bringing back imports of unlimited height.
Ever since the league started in 1975, teams were given luxury to beef up its roster by allowing them to get these big imports to give them a fighting chance of competing against the league’s powerhouse squads.
But to give the inferior squads better chances of contending for the crown, the PBA used the import-laden conferences as a way to balance the competition, using the handicapping system where inferior teams were allowed to get bigger imports and more superior squads to bring in smaller reinforcements.
Such was the case when Royal Tru-Orange, the brand which was then being carried by San Miguel Corporation in the early years, and U/Tex, broke the stranglehold of dynasty teams Crispa and Toyota.
U/Tex was the first one to take advantage of the handicapping system, winning the 1978 Open Conference by sweeping Crispa, 3-0, in their best-of-five championship series as the Wranglers were able to take advantage of using Byron “Snake” Jones and Glenn McDonald at the same time while the Redmanizers could only field in Glen Mosley and Sylvester Cuyler alternately.
Royal Tru-Orange and U/Tex won championships in the 1979 and 1980 seasons by taking advantage of the same handicapping system.
Crispa and Toyota were only allowed to use their two imports to play alternately, while the other squads, including Royal Tru-Orange and U/Tex, were permitted to use their two imports playing together at the same time.
The Oragemen won the 1979 Open Conference, beating Toyota in four games of their best-of-five championship series.
By next season, it was the Wranglers’ turn to dominate as they defeated Toyota in five games of their championship series, a titular showdown described as one of the best title matches ever played in the league.
Marcial said the league is open on having a two-import format, although he mentioned that they have yet to decide on the intricacies of how they will be utilized.
Primarily, the two-import format is being prepared for the PBA’s participation in the East Asia Super League as our teams were bludgeoned every time we compete in the growing Asian tournament.
Whether the two-import format will be used as a way to handicap the teams is another question, same with the bigger imports.
If teams will be allowed to field in bigger imports or two reinforcements for next season without a handicapping system, then I don’t see it as a way to balance the competition, but more on spicing up the 50th season.
How possible it is to have inferior teams like Blackwater, Terrafirma or Converge to bring in imports of unlimited height and let powerhouse teams like San Miguel Beer or Ginebra to bring in imports not taller than 6-foot-6?
Or allow teams to use two imports at the same time while letting the Beermen and the Gin Kings to alternately utilize their reinforcements just to give the weaker teams a better chance of winning?
At least, the PBA has made its initial step, making the fans more curious on what’s in store for the coming season.
But supporters of the league, some of them even became bashers or critics, would love to see more unpredictable games and balance competition.
The PBA could start doing so with these imports.
