Leo Awards to kick off 44th season
LAS VEGAS — In accordance with plans to increase in-venue activity and media exposure, the Philippine Basketball Association will usher in the 44th season on January 13 next year with the holding of the Leo Awards.
Formerly called the PBA Annual Awards, a stand-alone event where the Most Valuable Player of the concluded season is feted, along with the Mythical Selections and other achievers, the Leo Awards, named after founding commissioner Leo Prieto, will kick off the Philippine Cup eliminations which will run until March 31.
Hugging the inside track in the MVP derby is San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo who is looking to become the PBA’s first five-time winner. Legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio have four each during their careers.
Reserved during the elims are playdates from February 12 to 26 for the FIBA Asia qualifier window with games set February 21 and 24.
The All-Star Week follows from March 1 to 3, with the PBA reverting to the one-area venue which will either be Calasiao in Pangasinan, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte or Sta. Rosa in Laguna.
Quarterfinal playoffs run from April 2 to 6 followed by the semifinal series from April 8 to 27. The best-of-7 finals is set for May 1 to 15, wrapping up the first conference.
Just a little over a week after on May 24, the opening jump ball draws the curtains for the Commissioner’s Cup, the elimination round stretched to July 24.
Quarterfinal battle will be waged from July 24 to August 1 with the final four teams going through the semifinals from August 3 to 12. The championship series is booked for August 14 to 28.
Pencilled off is a two-week break from August 30 to September 15 for the Philippine team’s campaign in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Guangzhou, China should the Yeng Guiao-coached Nationals qualify among the 32 teams from all over the globe led by defending champion USA.
The rest of the 44th season schedule would then be pushed back.
Non-appearance by the PH team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, however, would allow the PBA to start the seasonending Governors’ Cup on September 4, with the eliminations running until November 10.
The quarterfinals will be from November 12 to 16 and the semifinals from November 18 to 27.
Again a two-week break is to be made available around this time to give way to the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, from November 30 to December 13, with Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas, also the PBA chairman, batting for pros in the national team.
From its original schedule of Nov. 29 to Dec. 13 then, the best-of-7 championship series will get readjusted to after the staging of the SEA Games. The 2019 calendar remains subject to minor changes throughout the year though depending on unfolding events.