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| Derick Acosta became the first player to score a Free 3 in NBL Pilipinas, 23 years since the defunct MBA last implemented the said rule. NBL Pilipinas |
MANILA—Twenty-three years after the last time someone hit either of these two shots, the terms "Blaze 3" and "Free 3" are back in the professional basketball glossary.
The unique three-pointers introduced by the MBA during its five-year run from 1998-2002 were brought back by NBL Pilipinas for its new season that tipped off on Sunday night at the Colegio De Sebastian-Pampanga Gym in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
However, the regional league, one of four active play-for-pay cagefests in the Philippines right now aside from the PBA, MPBL, and PSL, slightly modified the Blaze 3.
Formerly known as the "Blitz 3", any fastbreak shot, regardless of the distance from the basket, made within the first five seconds of the shotclock counts as a Blaze 3 and is worth three points.
The MBA rule had an inside shot count as a Blitz 3 if it was converted within the first four seconds of the shotclock.
The Nueva Ecija Granary Buffaloes made good use of the Blaze 3 in the second half to mount a comeback against the Zambales Constructicons in the season opener.
However, Ckierlvin Ednilag completed a game-winning three-point play with 14.5 seconds left to help Zambales spoil Nueva Ecija's late rally for a 121-118 win.
Ednilag finished with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting and 14 rebounds in the win.
Meanwhile, the NBL reintroduced the Free 3 as it was when the MBA first implemented it: a player who is fouled, whether in the act of shooting or if his opponent is in the penalty, can opt to take one top-of-the-key three-pointer instead of two free throws at any point of the game.
The Free 3 helped Dondon Hontiveros improve his outside game in the MBA en route to becoming one of the PBA's "dead shots".
Quezon City Enforcer Derick Acosta became the first NBL PH player to convert a Free 3 after making the only made shot of the said kind in the game against home team Tikas Kapampangan with 5:24 left.
However, QC could not spark a late comeback out of Acosta's Free 3 and dropped a 108-128 decision to Tikas Kapampangan behind a solid NBL debut from former MPBL star Genmar Bragais, who had 24 points, three rebounds, and six assists.
Will this move by the NBL entice the other pro leagues to adopt the formerly MBA-exclusive threes as well? Only time will tell.
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