PBA scores recovery basket

You can’t call the championship pairing for the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals an ideal one. There’s the absence of an established elite squad on the pro league championship stage.

Of course, many jaded fans quietly celebrated following the exit of Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer from the championship series.

There now looms the promise of fresh on-floor excitement.

Truth is that Magnolia and Alaska did not make it to the best-of-7 Finals, starting at Mall of Asia on Dec. 5  by a quirk of fate.

Magic and magnificence, hard-earned, were behind the shake-up in the league power block.

Was there an unseen hand to guide the PBA back to a happy win-win path?

It’s easy to single out the selfless suicidal fight waged by Magnolia import Romeo Travis, who it would turn out, was battling it out there with a severely injured hamstring. He would have been unable to return had there been another game.

The great Travis closing game stand, capped by his agonizing crucifixion shot under the basket, was clearly the one that drove the final nail on the Ginebra coffin. It will not be easy to forget, with all the drama on his sweaty bearded face.

Travis finished with 50 points, but the dramatic switch pump that pushed Magnolia onto the championship stage will be remembered and framed as a genuine gem.

The morning after the fourth semifinals match between Magnolia and Ginebra, many old fans were back wondering how they could wangle tickets to the start of the Governors’ Cup Finals. There’s the promise of a sell-out, expect ticket scalpers to be on the prowl, genuine excitement is once again thick on the PBA horizon.

One veteran game fan said it would be impossible to re-establish the original league following enjoyed during the days of the Crispa-Toyota rivalry.

It’s not the case with Barangay Ginebra who, being the perennial top crowd drawer, should soon be back at centerstage.

Anyway, it’s no secret that before the current Governors’ Cup could hit its stride, the PBA was also agonizing at the gates. Attendance had visibly dwindled.

With the happy twist, this straying jaded fan, a senior citizen, noted that this bright new twist in the PBA happens to come under the baton of rookie league commissioner Willie Marcial, the unassuming media affairs head who started from the ranks.

For example, there have been changes in the overall conduct of the league, mainly in the control and supervision of referees.

The no-fuss banishment of complaining coaches was a welcome development.

It was hard to get it straight from Marcial himself, how he conducts no-nonsense business.

Those close to Marcial could only surmise the fellow just happens to know the PBA, the problems mainly, better than anybody else.

He has done all sorts of jobs, carried out impossible missions, for the pro league.

There’s also the mention of a wealth of common sense, sincerity and, yes, integrity. He functions fearlessly. He doesn’t owe his position to anybody.

A staffer at the PBA media affairs office says they are also being besieged with requests to bring the games to the provinces, mainly in Mindanao.

Marcial wanted to play into the homecourt advantage.

He seemed certain the PBA, above all, belongs to the fans.

He will strive to bring the league, the games, very close to the people.