10 Storylines to Follow in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup

August 15, 2024 Simoun Redoblado

Photo sources: PBA Images

Move over, Paris Olympics—the PBA is back, ready to make headlines with its 49th season.

There will be no shortage of story arcs and character side quests in this upcoming campaign, which opens this Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. New heroes will emerge, innovative features will be tested, and thrilling clashes will unfold as 12 teams duke it out on the hardcourt.

Whether you’re a die-hard of a particular ball club or you’re a generalist showing love to the league as a whole, you’ll have plenty of hoops action to binge in the season-opening Governors’ Cup. In a move that ensures the PBA’ lingering presence in the national consciousness, the first month of this conference is set to have a whopping six playdates per week.

Yep, it’s official—for four glorious weeks, the PBA will run longer than your favorite telenovela. And maybe, just maybe, the league can give these dramatic series a run for their money.

Here are 10 storylines to follow when the Governors’ Cup tips off.

Will the 4-point shot live up to the hype?

The word “historic” can be thrown around so loosely, but there’s no lie when the PBA claims to make an unprecedented move with its four-point line this season. No matter what fans think about this new wrinkle to the game, the human instinct of curiosity will eventually kick in, leading to inquisitive eyes being drawn to live games and video clips. Some PBA coaches have shown little enthusiasm for the 27-foot arc, but then again, they might be singing a different tune when a four-point shot at the buzzer gives them a W.

Can the new format spice things up?

Two groups, double round robin, no more twice-to-beat edge in the crossover playoffs. Sound good? That remains to be seen, but if the league wants this format to pick up steam, they’ll have to pull out their bag of marketing tricks to get fans to buy tickets or turn on their TV sets. After all, there’s a fine line separating “dull, repetitive games” and “compelling rematches.” With playoff contention on the line, teams are expected to give it their all for the entirety of the group phase elims. The PBA, however, will have to be extra creative in their presentation if they want fans to stay consistently invested.

Finally, can Converge turn the corner?

Since taking the place of beloved franchise Alaska in 2022, Converge has struggled to make its presence felt in the league. After three straight quarterfinal exits in their maiden season, the FiberXers failed to make the playoffs in the last two conferences. It appears, however, that Converge has spammed the refresh button leading up to Season 49. In a matter of weeks, the team secured the services of Justine Baltazar, beefed up their braintrust with the additions of Rajko Toroman and Charles Tiu, and replaced Aldin Ayo with interim head coach Franco Atienza. There’s a long way to go before the FiberXers reach the top, but they’ve certainly raised their ceiling.

Just how good will Ginebra be, exactly?

A day before the 2024 Draft, Ginebra made a big splash by acquiring Stephen Holt and Isaac Go in a trade with Terrafirma. Then, on Draft day, they used their pick swap to snag RJ Abarrientos with the third overall selection. These are three big names to bolster the Barangay, but the players on the injured list—Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, and Jeremiah Gray—are highly valuable assets as well. Ginebra fans will have to trust that Coach Tim Cone, who led Gilas to a rejuvenating win over Latvia a few weeks ago, has something up his sleeve. (Maybe he can count on their import this conference, which will be—checks notes—this guy named Brownlee.)

What does Jong Uichico have in store for NLEX?

Here’s a refresher course on Jong Uichico: From 1999 to 2015, the two-time Coach of the Year won six titles with San Miguel, two titles with Ginebra, and one title with Talk N’ Text. In recent years, Uichico has been a steady presence in the Gilas coaching staff; just last year, he was a vital cog of Gilas’ gold medal campaign at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. It will be interesting, then, to see what Uichico cooks up for an NLEX roster that features seasoned veterans (such as Robert Bolick, Baser Amer, and Sean Anthony) and diamonds in the rough (like Enoch Valdez and Jonnel Policarpio).

Are Magnolia and TNT legit title contenders?

While Magnolia and TNT are perennial powerhouses in the league, neither team struck paydirt this past season. They might have sent heart emojis to their sister teams San Miguel and Meralco, respectively, but you can bet that they’d love to be the belle of the ball once again. On the one hand, the Hotshots will offer exciting new flavors (Jerom Lastimosa’s scoring punch and Zavier Lucero’s athleticism) to complement their fiery staples (Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, and Ian Sangalang). On the other hand, the Tropang Giga will have a brand new point guard in Rey Nambatac to spearhead their high-octane offense alongside Calvin Oftana and the returning Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Which team will grow up faster: Phoenix or RoS?

When you think of up-and-comers in the PBA, you think of the Phoenix Fuel Masters and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Sky is the limit for these youth-laden ball clubs, but at some point, they’ll have to grow up drastically if they want to contend for a championship. Rain or Shine flexed its muscles by making it to the semis of last season’s Philippine Cup, but San Miguel’s size and playoff experience proved too much to handle. Likewise, Phoenix came up short in its Commissioner’s Cup semis matchup against the grizzled vets of Magnolia. If either of these teams latches onto a strong veteran presence in the locker room and on the hardcourt, they can find themselves in a better position to make the Finals.

Which team will leave the cellar behind: Terrafirma, Blackwater, or Northport?

You know what would be a real headline-grabber? Any or all of Terrafirma, Blackwater, or Northport rising up in the standings and never looking back. The Dyip revved up its roster by picking up Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle in the blockbuster trade with Ginebra. Blackwater, meanwhile, will parade prized rookie Sedrick Barefield alongside veteran Troy Rosario and promising sophomore Christian David. As for Northport, Jio Jalalon has a wealth of experience to impart to their young studs like Arvin Tolentino, Cade Flores, and Evan Nelle. Can any of these three teams become a strong playoff contender? We shall see.

Will Meralco bag a second title?

Across the entire league, there might not be a more confident team heading into the Governors’ Cup than the Meralco Bolts. After overcoming the goliath that is San Miguel in the previous Philippine Cup, the Bolts were validated as a PBA powerhouse—and they don’t plan on stopping their surge soon. The hulking Allen Durham is back in harness, and he’ll be right at home with mainstays Chris Newsome, Cliff Hodge and Aaron Black (not to mention sharpshooting rookie CJ Cansino).

Is there any other team on San Miguel’s level?

Meralco might be the instinctive answer here, but when it comes to firepower, veteran leadership, and Finals experience, San Miguel remains the benchmark for all ball clubs in the league. Last season, June Mar Fajardo and company made it to the biggest stage twice, going one for two in the process. A vengeful SMB team is an immensely scary thought, and after all these years, this storyline remains constant: The road to any PBA championship goes through San Miguel.