With the classification in the National Capital Region (NCR) downgraded Alert Level 2, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has been given the green light from the government to resume its 5-on-5 training and full scrimmages in Metro Manila.
The league is also targeting a November 26 or 28 opening for the second conference of the 2021 season, pending the approval from the local government unit (LGU).
The Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City is being eyed as the venue of the coming import-laced tournament, which is still going to be played behind closed doors.
"The 5-on-5 gets approved, but we're still just waiting for approval from the LGU," PBA commissioner Willie Marcial wrote in a text message to The Manila Times.
Marcial added that the league is looking at the 26th or 28th of the month as its opening day, but that would also depend on the availability of the imports.
Some of the imports are still undergoing the required quarantine period.
"If the imports are OK, then we'll open either November 26 or 28," added Marcial.
Heading the cast of imports are Justin Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra, K.J. McDaniels of NLEX, Henry Walker of Rain or Shine, Paul Harris of Phoenix, Mike Harris of Magnolia, Brandon Philip Brown of San Miguel Beer and Ola Ashaulo of Alaska who all have played in the league before.
Seeing action in the PBA for the first time are McKenzie Moore of TNT, former NBA star Shabazz Muhammad of Meralco and Jaylen Bond of Blackwater.
Brownlee is a four-time PBA champion and is considered as the yardstick among the reinforcements.
McDaniels, on the other hand, got a release from TNT right after the Tropang Giga decided to go with Moore, who according to assistant coach Josh Reyes, has great attitude when he joined the squad in an invitational tournament in Macau.
"He was with us when we competed in Macau and even joined us back in Manila when we started our training," added Reyes. "He has great attitude."
NLEX and Magnolia also opted for returning imports McDaniels and Harris, and coaches Yeng Guiao and Chito Victolero heard positive things about their respective imports.
"We heard good things about KJ. He doesn't have an attitude problem and aside from his skill set, that's one of the biggest reasons why we brought him in to help us in the next tournament," said Guiao.
Victolero was impressed with Harris when he saw him play for Alaska and was chosen as the most outstanding reinforcement in the 2018 Governors' Cup. Harris and the Aces, however, bowed to the Hotshots in the final series.
"I asked [former Alaska coach] Alex Compton about Harris' character and he told me that he's a great guy with a good attitude. Since we're already familiar with how he plays, we didn't have any hesitation taking him in," added Victolero.
This developed as the PBA announced the opening of its first ever 3x3 tournament, a standalone league which begins on November 20.
The team's lineup for the 3x3 tournament is different from its regular roster.
PBA gets green light to play in NCR - The Manila Times
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment