By: Bjorn Del Deade
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has made headlines both locally and internationally by introducing a four-point line for its 49th season.
This innovation is a step that even the 77-year-old NBA has yet to adopt, prompting discussions among coaches in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of the Philippines about potentially expanding the three-point arc in their century-old league.
Arellano University’s Chico Manabat expressed his preference for maintaining the traditional style of play in collegiate basketball.
The former NU Bulldog believes that the four-point shot should remain a feature of professional leagues rather than being introduced at the college level.
“For me, not applicable sa collegiate level. Kung pro ‘yan, it’s showtime, okay ‘yan. Pero sa atin kasi, gusto ko traditional pa rin. Like sa mga bigs, sa usual bigs, yung may mga pumuposte,” he said.
“For showtime, pwede ‘yan. Sa three points, mag-stick na lang siguro tayo doon, and para sa four points bigay na lang natin sa mga pro.”
San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta echoed similar sentiments, arguing that the collegiate level should focus on fundamental skills and adhere to FIBA rules.
For Escueta, maintaining traditional elements of the game is crucial for the development of young athletes.
“Especially for college, we need to develop ‘yung basic fundamentals and hopefully, we stick to FIBA rules. Ngayon, hindi muna siguro for college,” said Escueta, whose team led the league in three-point shooting last season.
Escueta and University of Perpetual Help coach Olsen Racela, who are also assistant coaches for PBA teams TNT and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, share a common perspective on the four-point line.
Their teams had contrasting three-point shooting percentages last season, with San Beda at 31.51 percent and Perpetual at 20.93 percent. Only San Beda and Emilio Aguinaldo College surpassed the 30-percent mark in Season 99, with other teams shooting 28.1 percent or lower.
Coach Jerson Cabiltes of Emilio Aguinaldo College voiced concerns about the potential impact of a four-point line, arguing that it could set a negative precedent.
“I don’t think we should apply the four-point shot. We’re not that talented like Stephen Curry to make that shot with consistency,” said Cabiltes, whose team had the second-best three-point percentage in the league at 30.25 percent.
Conversely, some coaches, like Letran’s Allen Ricardo, are open to the idea of introducing the four-point line to the NCAA.
Ricardo believes it could be a good fit for Filipino basketball players, given their height.
Benilde assistant coach Paolo Layug reflects on the history of the three-point shot, noting that it was once considered revolutionary, much like the four-point line is now. Layug remains open to the potential benefits of the four-point line for the NCAA.
“If you look back in history, when they first put the three-point shot, everyone wasn’t agreeing with it and over time it added value to the game,” Layug said.
“I think it’s too early to tell how the four-point shot will affect basketball. For me, I’m okay with it. From a coach’s point of view, it changes the way you strategize. From a coach’s point of view, we’ll always adjust to the rules of the game. So let’s see over time.”
