MANILA – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is hoping to return to the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City for the best-of-seven championship series of the 2021 Philippine Cup.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial is optimistic that the league can, with the National Capital Region shifting to alert level 3 beginning Oct. 16.
However, Marcial said the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) as well as the Pasig City local government is still needed to make this possible.
“Sana payagan tayo (ng IATF-EID) na mag-Finals sa NCR,” Marcial said in an interview with Tiebreaker Times on Wednesday. “If ever, doon pa rin tayo sa Ynares Sports Arena.”
Under alert level 3, indoor sports venues, such as Ynares Sports Arena, could be allowed to operate in a limited capacity.
PBA actually started the All-Filipino Conference in Pasig City in July before being forced to postpone in August due to NCR being placed under enhanced community quarantine.
The league, however, managed to salvage the season-opening conference by shifting to a semi-bubble system at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The league is penciled to have its best-of-seven championship showdown by next week. The two best-of-seven semifinals series are expected to end this Sunday at the latest.
Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots are currently ahead of Meralco Bolts in their best-of-seven series, 3-2, while TNT Tropang Giga also had the same advantage over San Miguel Beermen.
“If we can get clearance from the IATF-EID and Pasig City LGU, the Finals series will begin on October 22. If not, the best-of-seven finale will still happen on October 20 still in Bacolor,” Marcial said./PN
