4-night Rizal swing to open PBA Govs' Cup

Terrafirma and Titan Ultra will begin the fireworks for the PBA Governors' Cup. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—A four-night swing within five in Rizal will tip off what could be the longest PBA Governors' Cup ever.

The conference, which will run for five months mainly due to two Gilas windows, will begin on July 10 at the Ynares Center 1 in Antipolo with Terrafirma and Titan Ultra in the opening game at 5:15 p.m. and Macau, returning for a second straight tournament as the guest team, battling NLEX at 7:30 p.m.

The PBA will then play back-to-back gamedays at the other Ynares Center in Rodriguez, starting with Blackwater facing Rain or Shine in the first game of the July 11 twinbill, followed by the Phoenix-Magnolia encounter.

The Converge FiberXers open their conference the following night against the Giant Risers, succeeding the clash between the Road Warriors and the Dyip.

The San Miguel Beermen will begin their stint on July 14 against the Giant Pandas right after the Road Warriors-Giant Risers matchup.

Action will move to Metro Manila on July 15, with Meralco beginning its PBA Governors' Cup quest against Phoenix in the main game of the doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, following the Converge-Terrafirma showdown.

The Ninoy Aquino Stadium will host the July 17 doubleheader pitting the Giant Pandas and FiberXers in the first game and the Bossing and Hotshots in the second game.

TNT and Ginebra, the finalists in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, will open their Governors' Cup campaign on July 19 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang 5G will face the Giant Pandas in the first game, while the Gin Kings take on the Fuel Masters in the nightcap.

The PBA will end July and start August at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay with back-to-back doubleheaders.

The first Manila Clasico of the conference between Ginebra and Magnolia will happen on Aug. 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, following the ROS-Meralco showdown.

After the Aug. 14 games, also at "The Big Dome", the PBA will take a lengthy break to give way to Gilas' FIBA World Cup qualifiers fourth window and Asian Games stints before resuming on Oct. 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The second round meeting between the Gin Kings and Hotshots will happen on Oct. 11, also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, right after the rematch between the Giant Risers and FiberXers.

The group stages will end with four straight gamedays at the Ynares Center 1 from Oct. 17-21.

For the second straight season, an intra-group double-round-robin preliminary round will open the PBA Governors' Cup.

The difference, though, is that Group A teams will have 12 games each due to Macau's participation.

The top four teams in each group will advance to the best-of-three crossover quarterfinals, with the winners advancing to the best-of-seven semifinals, which will determine the protagonists in the best-of-seven finals.

With the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers happening from Nov. 23-Dec. 1, which coincides with the PBA Governors' Cup playoffs, the conference could end by late December.