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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider MPBL makes division finals into best-of-five series

MPBL makes division finals into best-of-five series

Published Feb 3, 2025 08:02 am

At A Glance

  • The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League will implement two major format changes for the MPBL Seventh Season starting on March 8 at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City, Isabela.

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League will implement two major format changes for the MPBL Seventh Season starting on March 8 at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City, Isabela.

mp.jpg
 MPBL Founder Manny Pacquiao talks to team owners Sunday night. (MPBL Images)

Heeding the team owners' recommendation, the MPBL has decided to make the North and South Division Finals a best-of-five series instead of the usual best-of-three affair. The National Finals pitting the North and South champions, will remain a best-of-five battle.

Also approved was the play-in tussle for the last two qualifying slots in both divisions after the conclusion of the round-robin elimination round.

Under this setup, the top six teams in the North and South advance outright to the quarterfinal playoffs, with the next four teams disputing the remaining two seats.

The seventh and eighth-ranked teams will collide for the right to join the top six in the quarterfinals. The loser, however, gets another chance to become the eighth and last qualifier as it will still face the winner between the ninth and 10th-ranked teams.

MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes presided over the dinner meeting with the team owners, including those of newcomer Ilagan Isabela Cowboys and returning Basilan Starhorse, on Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Milky Way Cafe in Makati.

MPBL Founder and Chairman Manny Pacquiao graced the affair and exhorted the team owners, headed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada of the San Juan Knights, to help him rid the league of game-fixing by excluding players and coaches suspected to be in cahoots with illegal gamblers.

While most of the 29 teams, headed by back-to-back champion Pampanga, losing finalist Quezon Province, that competed last year have signified their intention to join, others have requested more time to confirm their participation in the MPBL Seventh Season that will end in December.

MPBL Chief Executive Officer Joe Ramos and Head of Operations Emmer Oreta were also present.

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