FILE– Meralco vs Rain or Shine in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–The PBA will hold five playdates a week for the majority of the elimination round in the season-ending Governors’ Cup which starts Sunday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Rain or Shine and Meralco kick things off at 4:30 p.m. before Converge and NorthPort square off at 6:45 p.m. as action in the 47th season will resume after Barangay Ginebra’s title victory over guest team Bay Area in the Commissioner’s Cup.
But the league is speeding up the duration of the third conference in order to allow its players to represent Gilas Pilipinas in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games.
The regional meet is set in early May, and Gilas is expected to send the best lineup possible in a bid to bounce back from a stunning loss to Indonesia for the gold in last year’s edition in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Mark your calendars!
Your 47th Season Governors’ Cup ELIMS schedule 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼#PBAGameTayoDito pic.twitter.com/foJcYP1HnM
— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 17, 2023
Four more teams debut on Jan. 25 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, with NLEX tackling Blackwater and TNT facing Phoenix while Terrafirma see action for the first time the following day opposite Converge at Philsports.
Magnolia meets Converge while San Miguel Beer plays Phoenix on Jan. 29 at Ynares Center in Antipolo City as the two semifinalists of the Commissioner’s Cup open their own title aspirations.
Ginebra won’t start its campaign until Feb. 5 when it squares off with Rain or Shine at the Big Dome. Finalists from the previous conference are given longer time to recharge their batteries and prepare for the next tourney.
The eliminations will run until March 17 before the playoffs take place with the top eight teams advancing.