PBA now ‘letting players play’

PBA officer-in-charge Willie Marcial. photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

PBA Officer-In-Charge Willie Marcial said the league has now become lenient when it comes to the physicality during games.

Apart from that, Marcial said games are also played at a faster rate since he filled in as interim commissioner following the resignation of Chito Narvasa last month.

“One of the things we told the referees is to be firm when they make calls especially when they’re sure of it to keep them from reviewing plays too often,” Marcial said in Filipino during the PSA Forum Wednesday at Tapa King Farmers Market at Araneta Center in Cubao.

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Among the ways to keep the games going are resumptions after a dead ball are quicker and so are player substitutions.

As far as the officiating goes, the players are given more room to operate.

“Now, we’re letting the players play, provided they play within the rules,” said technical director Eric Castro.

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Castro cleared the PBA is not going back to the days when they it incorporated the no-harm, no-foul rule.

“We’re not going back to that. We’re just trying to incorporate everything that works,” said Castro. “Like I told the players, we’re going to let you play because that’s what the fans want, but we’re not going to allow you to hurt each other.”

“Basketball is a physical game and players will bang bodies but what we don’t want is for them to hurt one another.”