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HARD TIMES AHEAD

The worsening economic situation the country faced then also had its adverse effect on the PABL then. Some teams disbanded, and the lure of money started crouching on most of the players.

The short-termed Commissioners failed to lure top companies who had to tighten their belts and brace for hard times ahead.

Spectators too started to shy away with the exodus of top PABL stars and the nagging problem on officiating. And soon, the problem of a permanent venue.

The exodus of Benjie Paras to the PBA signaled the hard times ahead for the league. From late 1988 to 1994, the league suffered its lowest point.

PBA analyst and former Manila Beer team manager Andy "Dr.J" Jao saw the advent of Open basketball as a timely opportunity to re-packaged the league in 1990. The term "amateur" was dropped from the PABL as rule changes were implemented. From halftimes, the games were divided into quarters patterned after the PBA.

Even with the adoption of semi-professional rules failed to regain the spectators' fancy, and that even started the identity crisis for the Philippine Basketball League.

But the league still managed to survive with star quality players like Zandro "Jun" Limpot, Marlou Aquino, Bal David, the Mutt and Jeff tandem of Victor Pablo and Johnny Abarrientos, Eugene Quiliban, Boyet Fernandez and behemoths Bonel Balingit and EJ Feihl gaining a following of their own aside from quality imports that beefed up the action.

Atty. Gregorio "Ogie" Narvasa came in the following year and his credibility somehow lured companies to have short stints in the PBL.

Former Agrarian Secretary Philip Ella Juico, who later assumed the post as Philippine Sports Commission chairman, implemented changes that improved officiating but was bogged by venue problems with the unavailability of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

PBL fans got confused that games drew only small crowds as it moved form the Cuneta Astrodome, the Araneta Coliseum and even the ULTRA.

But people running the league knew that hard times are temporary, and are but challenges meant to further strengthen the league.

And the lessons learned from these hard times were transformed into building blocks by their successors.

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When former Shell team manager Charlie Favis took over in 1994, he knew he inherited a lot of problems. But taking the cue from his predecessors, he picked up their major contributions and adopted innovations to renew interest in the PBL.

An experienced marketing man, he first unveiled a new logo with flashy colors to convey a change of image and introduce a new genre of youth and idealism.

It was the first steps to lure back big companies into the league and soon an intact set of supporters like Lamoiyan Corporation, Welcoat Paints, Photokina Marketing, Asia Brewery, Chowking, Ramcar and others came in.

With Juico assuming the PSC post, Favis wasted no time in negotiating for the return of the PBL at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and ironed out some differences with the Basketball Association of the Philippines through secretary general Nic Jorge.

He also addressed the problem of television coverage, and with meager budget and advertising support, he managed to arrange the telecast of a few games. The introduction of a three-man officiating also came as a welcomed move for more clear-cut calls that resulted to improved quality of games.

As if hiring imports and bringing PBL games to the provinces were not enough, Favis thought of sending PBL teams to key international invitational tournaments abroad and brought about record foreign stints for the league, including that of Hapee Toothpaste which bagged the ABC Champions Cup plum in 1995 and 1996.

He also staged short international tournaments that brought several foreign teams to Manila. It was in PBL where Filipinos had a glimpse of today's hottest Asian recruit in the NBA - 7'1 sensation Wang ZhiZhi.

To prevent players from taking an early, raw plunge to the PBA, Favis implemented the policy of banning ex-pros from coming back to the league.

Though he tried to strike at a more balanced league, Stag Pilsen started its rise as one of the greatest PBL teams when it posted the first grand slam in 1995.

The PBL got on a rebound under Favis. But there were other things left unsolved when he left.

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