I still remember the excitement buzzing through Philippine basketball circles back in 2017 when the PBA schedule dropped. As someone who's followed both basketball and volleyball in the Philippines for over a decade, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the legacy building in different sports. That congratulatory message to Bel about the NU women's volleyball team's legacy actually resonates deeply with what makes the PBA special - it's not just about games, but about the stories and traditions being built season after season.
The 2017 PBA season kicked off on January 15 with the Philippine Cup, featuring 12 teams competing across three conferences. What made this season particularly memorable for me was the scheduling structure - 33 elimination round games per team, totaling 198 regular season matchups before even reaching the playoffs. I've always preferred the Philippine Cup format where teams can't use imported players, as it really showcases homegrown talent. The Commissioner's Cup followed starting May 19th with one import allowed per team, while the Governors' Cup commenced on July 19th with taller imports creating more explosive matchups.
Looking back, some of the most anticipated matchups included the perennial rivalry between Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beermen - their February 12 clash drew over 18,000 fans to the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Personally, I always marked my calendar for the Manila Clasico games between Ginebra and Purefoods. There's something electric about those matchups that goes beyond basketball statistics. The league scheduled games across multiple venues including Quezon City, Pasig, and even provincial arenas in Lapu-Lapu and Legazpi, which I appreciated since it made the games more accessible to fans nationwide.
The 2017 season saw teams playing approximately twice weekly, with Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday games becoming the norm. What many casual fans might not realize is the grueling travel schedule teams endured - I recall talking to players who'd have a game in Manila on Friday, then need to be in Davao for a Sunday match. The playoff structure was particularly brutal that year, with the top four teams from each conference advancing to quarterfinals that used a twice-to-beat advantage format. From my perspective, this created some of the most dramatic basketball I've witnessed, especially when lower-seeded teams managed upsets.
Reflecting on that season now, it's clear the PBA scheduling in 2017 successfully balanced tradition with innovation. The league maintained its three-conference system while introducing better spacing between games to reduce player fatigue. The 2017 season ultimately ran from January through October, culminating in what I consider one of the most competitive Governors' Cup finals in recent memory. While some critics argue the schedule was too congested, I believe the frequency of games actually helped maintain fan engagement throughout the year. The legacy of that season continues to influence how the PBA structures its calendar today, proving that thoughtful scheduling can become part of a league's enduring tradition, much like the volleyball legacy that message to Bel referenced.
