PBA teams down to 9 as Gilas won't join season-ending conference

source: gmanews.tv

The Philippine Basketball Association will be down to nine teams in the season-ending PBA Governors Cup.

This was confirmed by PBA commissioner Atty. Chito Salud to GMA News after the Pilipinas-Smart Gilas squad opted not to join the tournament.

“There’s an open invitation for them to join, but there was word relayed to us that the team will not compete in the season-ending tournament. We’re just waiting for their formal response," said Salud. 


“This means that the tournament will be down to nine teams and will be shortened by four play dates."

Salud said the format of the Governors Cup will be similar to the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, a brief tournament featuring imports no taller than 6-foot-4.

The Governors Cup will however implement a handicapping system, with teams ranked lower based on their performances in the first two conferences parading the tallest imports at 6-foot-6.

“There will be a total of nine teams playing in a single elimination round. Three teams will be eliminated while the remaining six will battle it out in the playoffs," said Salud. - Rey Joble, GMA News