The average of teams winning on the road has been greater over squads picking up a win at home in the MPBL-Anta Rajah Cup.
In fact, in the league’s last four play dates, all visiting teams were able to conquer their opponents, giving the away teams the winning advantage of six-to-four over the home squads.
If you think home court would be an advantage to any squad, probably not here in this fledgling league as visiting teams were able to show nerves of steel in overcoming the pressure against their rivals cheered on by their rabid fans.
Navotas, which won its first two games, lost its last two matches in tightly fought matches, including the latest one at home, against the still undefeated Batangas City.
The Tanduay-backed Batangas City Athletics were able to show their composure against a crack Navotas Clutch-Big J Sports in a nip-and-tuck encounter to join the Quezon City Capitals-Royal Manila in a share of the lead with identical 4-0 win-loss slates.
Prior to Navotas’ loss, the Parañaque Patriots also dropped a 64-54 setback at the hands of the Capitals at their home court — the Olivarez Coliseum in Sucat. The Gary David-led Bataan Defenders-BaiShipping played in front of their fans for the first time at the People’s Center in Balanga but lost a tough one against the Caloocan Supremos-Longrich and the Imus Bandera-GLC Truck and Equipment lost to the Athletics.
So there’s really no guarantee of an advantage in the home and away format, a strong warning to teams hosting the visiting squads that they need to play tougher and be more prepared when playing at home.
Six of the 10 teams won were visitors and the advantage the home teams hoping to get from their sixth men wasn’t much of a factor.
But while teams playing in their own turf are not assured of winning a game, the format is certainly a sure win to all the fans in different parts of the cities, towns and provinces as the MPBL’s direction of bringing the games to the fans were certified hits.
Fans have packed the venues everywhere the league goes. The vision of bringing the games closer to them was warmly embraced by the basketball-loving public while helping the young league create a buzz a month after it was unveiled.
There’s nothing greater than cheering for your hometown when you see players carrying your city, town or province in their chests — and with pride, fans came in doves to support the team that they could call their own.
This is the MPBL, and they’ve only just begun.
Rey Joble has been covering the PBA games formore than a decade. He is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association.
