PBA back to square one as pandemic woes return

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will go back to the drawing board after COVID-19 cases began to spike once again.

Currently, the National Capital Region (NCR) plus is under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) once again, the exact same scenario eight months ago when the league wanted to kick off its season in August but was delayed to October.

“Parang déjà vu. Nung bubble, ‘di ba, dapat August magsisimula tayo? Naging September, naging October,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said.

Now, commissioner Marcial is drawing flashbacks of what might happen as COVID-19 began its surge once again.

Initially, Marcial and the rest of the PBA board already presented its whole year plan for the league with two conferences to be played in a span of 10 months, the Philippine Cup and the Governors’ Cup.

Aside from the steady 5v5 format of the league, yhe PBA is also looking to launch its inaugural 3×3 league.

“By next week, mag-special board meeting, tingnan natin kung ano na ang dapat gawing hakbang at kung papaano na. At pag-uusapan din sigurado, ‘yung financials ng PBA as a whole,” added Marcial.