PBA in L.A. & Ateneo’s stab at history

BEFORE the Nov. 14 meeting of the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) Board of Governors in Los Angeles, CA, we will have first the game between Ateneo and La Salle tomorrow, Nov. 12, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Q.C. Both are heart-stoppers for two reasons:

One, the PBA meet will decide the fate of PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa and the league’s major thrusts for its 2018-2019 season.

Two, Ateneo will gun for history of sorts when it tries to defeat La Salle in a bid for a rare tworound sweep of the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) Men’s Basketball Tournament. The PBA score at the moment is a standoff between the pro-Narvasa and anti-Narvasa factions.

Funny, but the pro-Narvasa faction is composed of only five PBA governors (San Miguel, Ginebra, Star, GlobalPort and Kia). And yet, their vote is enough to deflect the move of the seven other PBA governors to oust Narvasa.

That’s because 8 governors are needed to remove Narvasa as per PBA law.

There’s a catch: Narvasa’s tenure expires on Dec. 31.

Question: Will the 5 pro-Narvasa governors still want Narvasa as commissioner after Dec. 31?

If yes, then the 7 anti-Narvasa governors will have a problem. They lack one governor to fire/ replace Narvasa.

But the PBA Board can proceed to map out plans for the league’s next season. With Narvasa out of the equation? Yes, anytime at all. And while Narvasa’s case is in the back burner, will Ricky Santos, the deputy commissioner for operations, act as officer-in-charge? Anytime, yes to that, too. Meanwhile, can Ateneo repeat over La Salle tomorrow, in the process sending the Blue Eagles to the Finals outright?

In their first-round encounter, Ateneo stole a one-point win on two free throws by Matt Nieto following an inbound miscue by La Salle.

La Salle had still a winning play with ticks to go but its prized African dynamite, Ben Mbala, recklessly ran into a stonewall defense trying to ram home the marginal shot.

Thirdy Ravena is Ateneo’s supposed star but it is actually Ateneo’s team game that’s given the Eagles this 13-game winning streak.

Tickets sold out? That’s not news, anymore.