Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao opined that the PBA may have overlooked the semifinal pairing of the upcoming Season 49 Governors’ Cup playoffs.
Based on the competition system that the league released prior to the season opener, the top teams of Groups A and B – by the end of the pool stage – will meet in the semis should they pass their tests in the quarterfinals.
It has already been noticed by fans and netizens, leaving them asking questions as the no. 1 seeds, if ever, should only meet in the championship.
“I think it was overlooked,” he said moments after their 139-118 blowout loss to Blackwater in the eliminations’ ender, Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“So, it’s a lesson na dapat siguro, they should put more thought into the format. Alam namin bago ito, pero… Ang tingin ko, it’s something that’s basic eh. Madali mong makita ‘yung problema kung binigyan mo lang siya ng extra thought.”
That potential meeting between the two best teams of their respective groups may happen after the league decided to pit the winner of the QF1 bracket and the winning side of the Q4 series against one another in the SF1 pairing.
RoS finished no. 1 in Group B with a 7-3 record, meaning that they could be facing the best team of Group A in TNT, who owns an 8-2 card.
Never afraid to say his piece, the two-time Baby Dalupan PBA Coach of the Year felt that the format defeats the purpose of being a top seed.
“Sa akin naman, it could’ve been any team na ano eh, ‘no. Although, parang na-disincentivize mo yung no. 1,” Guiao offered.
“Dapat ‘pag no. 1 ka, medyo ‘yung path mo to the Finals is a little easier because you earned it – na hindi nangyari ngayon.”
But he knows as well that it’s all too late, and so Guiao simply hopes that the PBA would learn from this very instance moving forward.
“Dapat, pag-aralan nina Commissioner saan sila nagkamali, at i-correct nila. Ngayon, wala na tayong magagawa. Mali na eh,” he said.
