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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider PBA seeks green light to move from practice to scrimmages

PBA seeks green light to move from practice to scrimmages

Published Sep 6, 2020 05:11 pm
After successful return to practice, Marcial hopes favorable response from JAO Group for scrimmages
Willie Marcial
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial (PBA Images)

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial is taking the next big step to restarting the stalled Philippine Cup two weeks after the pro league got the green light from the Inter-Agency Task Force to resume limited team practice under strict health and safety protocols.

A letter, Marcial said, is on its way to the office of Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III at the San Lazaro compound in Sta. Cruz, Manila seeking approval from the Joint Administrative Order Group, comprised of the DOH, Games and Amusements Board and Philippine Sports Commission, for teams to recommence within the next few weeks full-contact scrimmages – the last stage before actual games can go full swing.

READ: Commissioner Marcial rules out staging shortened Philippine Cup

“Hopefully, makakuha uli kami ng favorable response,” said Marcial, whose optimism apparently wells from the success, so far, of the PBA’s return to team practice since August 25.

“Maganda naman ang resulta ng mga ensayo natin kasi sumusunod ang mga teams sa guidelines na na-set natin at ng JAO Group.”

READ: PBA coaches agree, return to practice a big step toward Philippine Cup resumption

The PBA, which played its first and only 45th season game in early March due to the coronavirus outbreak, is looking to resume a spectator-less Philippine Cup next month, depending on the result of swab and rapid tests taken – and would be taken – regularly on team personnel involved in team practices and later the projected scrimmages.

The letter, Marcial said, contains an even more comprehensive list of strict guidelines that the PBA intends to follow to the letter as the hour of reckoning approaches, with actual games in the offing.

“Magiging lalo kaming mahigpit pag napayagan yung scrimmage,” said Marcial, adding that a team should include one or two health officers.

READ: With an eye on NBA model, PBA execs look to create own ‘bubble’

In compliance to agreed protocols, only four players accompanied by a coach and a health officer alternate hourly at present in workouts in sanitized training facilities.

The group then leaves immediately after training, packing all their stuff, before the area gets a new round of disinfection from the facility’s medical crew for the next batch of players.

Related Tags

department of health JAO Joint Administrative Order 2020 PBA season PBA Philippine Cup GAB 2020 PBA Philippine Cup PSC Philippine Sports Commission Games and Amusements Board PBA 45th Season Willie Marcial PBA Season 45 pba 45th PBA Season doh
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