THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) turns a new leaf Wednesday, and in celebration of its 33rd anniversary, the league is raffling off 33 special prizes during Wednesday’s scheduled double-header at the Araneta Coliseum.

The raffle promo is the league’s way of expressing its gratitude to its horde of fans which stood through thick and thin supporting the PBA from the time it first saw light on April 9, 1975.

“Without the fans’ support, the PBA would not be here celebrating its 33rd year. And for that, we decided to treat them with special prizes while enjoying watching the games at the same time,” said Reynauld “Sonny” Barrios of the league’s first anniversary celebration under his commissionership.

Thursday’s twinbill will have the Coca-Cola Tigers gunning for the solo lead against the Welcoat Dragons at 4:50 p.m. while Purefoods, with prolific scoring import Darius Rice at the helm, taking on Air21 in the second game at 7:20 p.m.

Before a crowd of 18,000 at the Big Dome 33 years ago, the PBA was born and played its first two games pitting Mariwasa-Noritake against Concepcion and Toyota Comets versus U-tex.

Leo Prieto, the league’s first-ever commissioner, led the hour-long opening ceremonies, with the late Games and Amusement Board chairman Louie Tabuena and Miss PBA Mia Montemayor as special guests.

A traveling violation by Mariwasa import Israel “Cisco” Oliver—best remembered for his famed Alaska commercial—on the game’s opening play got the league off to a wrong foot, before Concepcion guard Gregorio “Joy” Dionisio scored on a lay-up in the next play for the historic first-ever basket of Asia’s oldest and first-ever play-for-pay league.

Since then, the PBA has not looked back, rising to become the pioneer of professional basketball league in the Asian region and ranking among the most organized cage body in the world today.

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JAKARTA—At one point, the Harbour Centre-Philippine team faced the specter of finishing the Southeast Asian Basketball Association Champions Cup below its expectations.

Complete Protectors of Hapee mix it up with skidding Whoppers

HAPEE Toothpaste wants to solidify its hold of the second spot as it collides with the reeling Burger King in the main game of the 2008 Philippine Basketball League Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) turns a new leaf Wednesday, and in celebration of its 33rd anniversary, the league is raffling off 33 special prizes during Wednesday’s scheduled double-header at the Araneta Coliseum.

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ may have finally induced Manny Pacquiao into considering a rematch.

Bacolod City—Twelve schools, led by defending women’s champion University of the Visayas (UV), will slug it out for the remaining slots to the 2008 Nestea Beach Volley National Finals as the third and final leg of the nationwide qualifying tournaments unfurls Tuesday at the University of St. La Salle.

THERE’S no “I” on the team and sure enough, newly installed Philippine nonplaying team captain Manny Tecson is instilling that concept further in the Philippines’ Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I relegation tie against Uzbekistan.

LINGAYEN—Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon Jr. will make the ceremonial shots to open the Philippine Military Academy Masigasig Class ’72 Governor’s Cup Shootfest from May 2 to 4 at the PNP Firing Range here.

DON ENRICO, touted as one of the heavy favorites in the coming Triple Crown Championship Series, added another major victory in his career when he topped the Diamond Stakes I on Sunday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park.