The league will continue to use the three-conference format, starting with the Philippine Cup.
The Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup are the second and third conferences in the upcoming season.
This season will also be the first season of Chito Narvasa as the PBA commissioner Chito Salud announced his resignation at the end of the 2014–15 season.
Salud, however, will remain with the PBA as he will be the new President and CEO of the league.[1]
The first event of the season was the 2015 PBA draft which was held on August 23
PHILIPPINE CUP 2015-2016:
MAHINDRA vs. ALASKA
EVENTS: Live Streaming & Full Game Replay
Where: DUBAI, UAE
When: Friday November 6, 2015
STREAM & REPLAY: CLICK HERE
The Alaska Aces remained undefeated in the SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup after squeaking past the Mahindra Enforcers, 98-94, in an out-of-the-country clash on Friday night at Al Wasl Sports Club in Dubai, UAE.
Alaska notched a third consecutive victory to start the conference while keeping Mahindra winless in three outings so far.
Vic Manuel led the Aces with 17 points while Calvin Abueva had a big double-double performance with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The PBA Final Scores:
ALASKA 98 – Manuel 17, Abueva 15, Casio 12, Baguio 8, Thoss 7, Dela Rosa 7, Menk 7, Dela Cruz 6, Hontiveros 6, Jazul 5, Banchero 4, Magat 4, Baclao 0, Exciminiano 0.
MAHINDRA 94 – Revilla 19, Yee 17, Canaleta 12, Ramos 12, Bagatsing 8, Guinto 6, Pinto 5, Paredes 5, Laure 4, Hubalde 4, Webb 2, Pacquiao 0, Baloria 0, Alvarez 0.
Quarters: 31-22, 53-40, 70-66, 98-94.
The trend in the last couple of playdates in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup has caused some alarm and Alaska coach Alex Compton is hoping the Aces will be able to rise to the occasion.
“Barako beat Ginebra, Blackwater beat Meralco. I hope we don’t say Mahindra beat Alaska,” said Compton minutes before heading for a breakfast at the Damac Maison’s Cour Jardin hotel here Thursday.
“Everybody is getting better. There’s not an easy game,” added Compton.
The Aces finally set out Friday, looking to gain a share of the lead with Rain or Shine in their 8 p.m. meeting with the Enforcers (12 p.m. Manila time) at the Al Wasl Sports Club.
The Aces will be gunning for their third straight win as they seek to keep their hot streak going in the kick-off conference that’s getting a lot tougher this early than ever imagined following the shock wins by Barako Bull and Blackwater a few days back.
In their last outing in Manila against the Elite, the Aces had some anxious moments before winning (87-79 last Oct 30), and with that as yardstick, Compton said their game against Mahindra will be by no means easy.
“We certainly have to have a better start than we had against Blackwater. I think Mahindra plays really hard, and they are currently playing I believe the fastest pace in the league,” said Compton.
“So we need to be ready to both attack them on offense when they gamble and yet contain them defensively. We can’t give them (Enforcers) easy shots,” added Compton.
The Aces had light workouts Wednesday at unspecified gym which they never got to find until spending six hours inside the bus owing to heavy traffic in downtown Dubai, where high-rises and skyscrapers are sprouting like mushrooms.
On Thursday, the Aces were to hold some light workouts and spend the rest of the day going around the city. The day before, they too had a morning workout but not after spending about six hours inside the bus owing to heavy traffic.
“Last night we’re able to find the gym after a lot of efforts. We stayed in the bus yesterday for about six hours, hindi maganda sa katawan ng mga players. We brought Manila traffic with us,” said Compton.
The Aces are playing for the first time here in their long, storied stint in the PBA, and they are faced with daunting task of playing one more game tomorrow against the Barangay Ginebra in the same venue and the same time.
Should the Aces sweep the twin-Dubai outings, they will get to pole-vault on top of the ladder, with the Elasto Painers, who went 3-0 after shocking San Miguel Beer, 99-84, last Wednesday, the very same day the Elite nosed out Meralco, 92-90.
If they are to beat the Enforcers, the key according to Compton would be their transition defense.
“If we are great on our transition defense and really contain them, and make them make difficult plays, we really have a good chance,” said Compton.
Meanwhile, PBA chairman Robert Non of San Miguel Beer, arrived here Thursday, along with league commissioner Chito Narvasa, to personally attend the games.