PBA teams have started putting temporary four-point arcs in their practice facilities in preparation for the controversial and often ridiculed innovation that takes effect this season.
The NLEX Road Warriors have already arranged that the floor of the Epsilon Chi Center inside the UP campus be painted with a dotted 4-point line while Northport has marked the 27-feet mark of the Winter Pine Gym camp in Sta. Mesa with tapes.
The sudden implementation of the four-point shot has caught not only the fans and the teams by surprise but also some owners of the gyms where PBA teams practice.
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Converge for example is still negotiating with Gatorade Hoops Center Gym on how they will paint the court with the 4-point line especially that their practice venue is one of the most popular basketball facilities for recreational hoopsters in Metro Manila.
“Tuma-timing pa kami sa Hoops Center management, kaya for now, nag tape muna kami. Para pwede alisin if hindi nila gusto. Kasi di naman lahat ng lalaro sa Hoops Center gagamit ng 4-point line,” said Converge team manager Jacob Lao.
“Need rin naming negotiate with them if we can put permanent markings. Pero siguro we won’t have problems naman since matagal na rin partnership ng Converge with Gatorade Hoops, even kahit noong time ng Alaska diyan,” he added.
Since they were only informed about the four-point line on Monday, Phoenix Super LPG has yet to make adjustments in their court set-up.
“Wala pa pintura yung sahig ng gym namin kasi kahapon lang namin nalaman, so three points pa lang 'yung sa amin kanina,” said Phoenix veteran guard RR Garcia. “Baka bukas meron na, lalagyan siguro ng tape.”
Rain or Shine also did their Tuesday morning practice without the 4-point mark at the Acropolis Gym in Libis.
“Wala pa kaming ganyan. Parang di interesado [ang] coaching staff namin kasi wala naman kaming long-range shooter, si Anton (Assistio) lang,” said Rain or Shine star big man Beau Belga.
“Ewan ko lang kila coach (Yeng Guiao) kung maglalagay, pero parang di kami ineresado kasi wala namang liga gumagamit nyan,” the burly forward added in between laughs. “Pero siguro maglalagay din kami eventually kasi rule na 'yan.”
SMC Complex's extra-long arc
The SMC Sports Complex, where the Beermen, Ginebra and Magnolia practice, has yet to paint the floor with the four-point line.
But players bared the three-point line of the SMC court is already well beyond the regular 23-foot line.
“Wala pang four-point line kanina. Pero malayo yung three-point line namin,” said Magnolia star Paul Lee.
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