All PBA teams should be back to work before the week ends.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said that nine ball clubs are off to Batangas City later this week to resume their preparations for the much-awaited 2021 season.
That means Alaska, Ginebra, Blackwater, NorthPort, Terrafirma, Rain or Shine, San Miguel, Magnolia, and Phoenix are all headed down south.
“‘Yung siyam, magba-bakbakan na..
“Ang schedule namin, Huwebes, Biyernes andun na ‘yung siyam na teams,” he told Tiebreaker Times Tuesday
Venues ready for use are the Batangas City Coliseum — which had hosted numerous PBA games in the past — and Lyceum-Batangas.
“‘Yun pa rin — Batangas Coliseum; Lyceum; tapos hinihintay lang namin ‘yung Batangas State University. Hinihintay namin kung papaano,” said Marcial.
The three MVP-owned ball clubs, meanwhile, are up north.
Meralco arrived at Laoag, Ilocos Norte last Sunday to become the first PBA team to return to practice. TNT will follow suit on May 19.
NLEX is bound for Clark either Wednesday or Thursday for its closed-circuit training — the same set-up which the teams in Batangas will conduct.
“MVP lang ang norte,” Marcial said.
Teams have decided to train outside NCR Plus as sports indoor courts remain closed in the region, which is under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
Some clubs have actually tried to seek permission from local government units for their practices until authorities clarified that scrimmages remain prohibited.
The clarification was made by the Department of Health (DOH) to the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), according to Marcial
“Nag-clarify na si DOH, sinulatan kasi ni [GAB] Chairman Baham [Mitra] ang IATF for clarification na hindi pwede mag-practice sa NCR Plus,” he said.
Once full practices begin, the league is expected to lift the 20-percent salary cut imposed on players, coaches, and league staff last April.
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