MANILA, Philippines?Since he assumed the commissionership of the Philippine Basketball Association early this year, the league?s fortunes have improved.

A grizzled veteran of PBA affairs, commissioner Sonny Barrios has so far done a commendable job. He has not only improved his relations with fans, players, team owners and media, he has also improved the quality of officiating, once the bane of the basketball-batty crowd.

My kumpadre, Gus Villanueva, editor in chief of the Journal Group of Publications, and I had the opportunity to talk with Barrios during the halftime break of a recent game at the Big Dome where we discussed, among other topics, the close and frenetic race in the ongoing Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference.

?It?s anybody?s game right now,? said the hardworking commissioner, ?especially in the battle for the two outright semifinal slots.?

On his appointment as PBA commissioner, Barrios said he is happy with the kind of treatment he is getting from the board of governors, headed by chair Tony Chua of Red Bull. He said he is also pleased with the team owners who have been very supportive of his plans and programs for the organization.

?Of course, I made it clear to the members of the board that I serve under their pleasure. And that they could replace me anytime.?

Of the team coaches, Barrios said, ?I find them very cooperative.?

Still, there were times that ?frictions? occurred between him and the coaches, but these can?t be avoided in a big organization like the PBA whose members include the country?s biggest and most profitable companies.

Among the coaches, he singled out Red Bull?s Yeng Guiao. The 46-year-old Guiao, who is also vice governor of Pampanga province, has been able to steer his underrated team into becoming a leading contender despite losing some superstars who have transferred to the other teams.

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I salute the member-schools of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for their wise decision not to file court cases against the league. As I have said in my most recent piece (PDI, 06/17/08), ?The court is not the proper venue to settle sports disputes.?

In an exclusive article written by PDI sportswriter Cedelf P. Tupas, NCAA spokesperson Henry Atayde said member-schools of the country?s oldest collegiate organization have ?verbally agreed? not to seek a TRO (temporary restraining order) against the league.

Tupas reported that this would ?prevent a repeat of an incident last season when San Beda College sought and was granted a TRO that stopped the NCAA from enforcing a two-game suspension on former Red Lion Yousif Aljamal for joining the PBA Rookie Draft without informing the league.?

However, San Beda and NCAA officials reached an amicable settlement, with San Beda dropping the TRO and offering to sit out Aljamal in its two games.

The Supreme Court abhors the intrusion of the courts into sporting matters. It said that to do so would result in ?anarchy and chaos.?