The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) unveiled the schedule for the season-ending Philippine Cup, set to kick off on February 28 and conclude on May 5.
The iconic SMART Araneta Coliseum will host a total of 11 games, with the majority scheduled to take place at the beginning of the conference.
Other venues include the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Philsports Arena, Ynares Center-Antipolo, Ynares Center-Pasig, Caloocan Sports Complex, and three provincial arenas.
Antipolo will witness the opening day action, featuring a clash between Terrafirma and Converge at 4:30 p.m., followed by Northport facing off against NLEX at 7:30 p.m.
The games continue at the SMART Araneta Coliseum over the next three game days.
On Friday, Blackwater and Meralco will tussle followed by TNT versus Rain or Shine.
NLEX faces Terrafirma on Saturday while Converge squares off against Northport.
Capping opening week are games between Blackwater versus TNT and Rain or Shine versus Meralco.
As the tournament progresses, different cities will play host to the games.
Notably, games on April 13, April 20, and April 27 will feature unique double-headers across two venues.
On April 13, the Caloocan Sports Complex will witness Rain or Shine taking on Terrafirma at 3:00 PM, followed by a clash between TNT and NLEX in Candon, Ilocos Sur.
The following week, Ynares-Pasig will be the battleground for Phoenix and NLEX, while Rain or Shine and Magnolia will lock horns in Tiaong, Quezon.
Blackwater faces Northport in Caloocan on April 27 and Converge goes head-to-head against Ginebra in Cagayan de Oro City.
Defending champion San Miguel will undoubtedly be a team to watch as they strive to maintain its dominance in the crown jewel tournament.
LOOK: Initial schedule of the PBA (@pbaconnect) Season 48 Philippine Cup eliminations, courtesy of the league’s Media Bureau.
Elims will run from Feb. 28 to May 5. @tiebreakertimes pic.twitter.com/gL19ccqeA8
— Justine Bacnis (@justinebacnis) February 22, 2024