Sports
PBA shortens Season 45 due to Covid-19
The development was a result of an online meeting conducted by the league’s board of governors together with Commissioner Willie Marcial on Tuesday.
(File photo: Markus Spiske/Unsplash)
MANILA — The Philippine Basketball Association will be compressing its 45th season as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) continues to hamper the Philippines.
The development was a result of an online meeting conducted by the league’s board of governors together with Commissioner Willie Marcial on Tuesday.
“The leaning of the board right now is two conferences. Pero kapag humaba pa ang current situation, baka maging isang conference na lang (But if the current situation lengthens, maybe it will be down to just one conference),” Marcial said, baring the two scenarios that could take place.
The two-conference format, the Philippine Cup and one import-spiced tournament was last used by the league in the 2009-2010 season before former commissioner Chito Salud introduced himself in the post by reviving the three-conference format for the 2010-2011 season.
Meanwhile, the single-tournament format is similar to the one being used in the National Basketball Association and even in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Only one game was played so far in the season, the opening night game between San Miguel and Magnolia on March 8.
Three days later, just hours before a scheduled doubleheader was supposed to take place, Marcial announced the postponement of the games due to Covid-19.
He then announced a two-week postponement of team practices, which he later extended indefinitely.
Marcial said on Sunday that he is aiming to resume the games as early as June.
The PBA board will once again convene on April 30, the last day of the extended enhanced community quarantine, to finally decide on the season format to be used.
