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How The 4-Point Line Is Changing The PBA Shooting Game
Photo credit: PBA
Shooting from long distance in the Philippine Basketball Association is getting better—and the league’s experimental 4-point line might be playing a big role.
Fresh numbers from chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III show that three-point shooting in the Season 50 Philippine Cup climbed to 32.5 percent, a noticeable jump from last season’s 31.4 percent in the same All-Filipino conference.
It may not look like a massive leap at first glance, but in a league where every shot counts, that increase is turning heads.
According to Commissioner Willie Marcial, the improvement could be tied to players growing more comfortable shooting from farther distances—thanks to the addition of the 4-point line.
“Maybe the 4-point shot helped,” Marcial said, noting there’s no exact science to prove it—but the confidence is clearly there.
That confidence was on full display during the recent All-Star festivities in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where players didn’t hesitate to fire away from deep.
“Napansin ninyo sa All-Star, panay tira ng players sa tres,” Marcial shared. “Parang relaxed na silang mag-shoot.”
Interestingly, while three-point shooting is up, accuracy from the even deeper 4-point range dipped—from 26.4 percent last season to 23.2 percent this year.
Still, the overall offensive numbers tell a positive story. Field goal percentage improved to 44.6 percent from 43.4 percent. Two-point shooting also rose to 51.3 percent, while free throw accuracy climbed to 71.78 percent.
For Marcial, the goal now is simple: keep the momentum going.
“Sana magtuloy-tuloy—at kung mas mapapaganda pa, why not?” he said.
With players stretching defenses further than ever, the PBA’s bold 4-point experiment might just be reshaping how the game is played—one deep shot at a time.
Fresh numbers from chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III show that three-point shooting in the Season 50 Philippine Cup climbed to 32.5 percent, a noticeable jump from last season’s 31.4 percent in the same All-Filipino conference.
It may not look like a massive leap at first glance, but in a league where every shot counts, that increase is turning heads.
According to Commissioner Willie Marcial, the improvement could be tied to players growing more comfortable shooting from farther distances—thanks to the addition of the 4-point line.
“Maybe the 4-point shot helped,” Marcial said, noting there’s no exact science to prove it—but the confidence is clearly there.
That confidence was on full display during the recent All-Star festivities in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where players didn’t hesitate to fire away from deep.
“Napansin ninyo sa All-Star, panay tira ng players sa tres,” Marcial shared. “Parang relaxed na silang mag-shoot.”
Interestingly, while three-point shooting is up, accuracy from the even deeper 4-point range dipped—from 26.4 percent last season to 23.2 percent this year.
Still, the overall offensive numbers tell a positive story. Field goal percentage improved to 44.6 percent from 43.4 percent. Two-point shooting also rose to 51.3 percent, while free throw accuracy climbed to 71.78 percent.
For Marcial, the goal now is simple: keep the momentum going.
“Sana magtuloy-tuloy—at kung mas mapapaganda pa, why not?” he said.
With players stretching defenses further than ever, the PBA’s bold 4-point experiment might just be reshaping how the game is played—one deep shot at a time.
Mar 17, 2026
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