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At the start of the Philippine Cup earlier this year, all we got was an agonizing taste of high-level PBA action, as defending champions San Miguel Beermen ditched the Magnolia Hotshots, a team that many promoted. as a contender for the throne during June. Mar Fajardo was out.
Since that basketball game on Sunday, the doors have been closed, the balls have been put away and the shoes have been hung. Players who have spent most of their lives dribbling with a ball in their hand could not find a court to play on, that would not deserve sanctions and penalties. All we could do was hope, hope, and pray that this would all end soon.
Well, it seems that the wait is ending. Plans that seemed confusing in one period in time become clearer with each passing day. And now, in less than a month, the PBA is set to reboot once again.
These are obviously exciting times, as all systems appear to be pending IATF approval. But while many details have been shared, many questions remain to be answered when the league kicks off on October 9. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. What kind of basketball are we going to see in the bubble?
We know that every player who dons the PBA team jersey is playing at an elite level that 99% of the nation’s population can only dream of reaching. Their skills are finely honed and everyone is hungry to get back on track.
We are all excited to see our favorite players return. However, what kind of shape will they be in when they step onto the court on October 9 and start playing? Finding your basketball rhythm at the start of a new season is a different scenario than what we’re about to see in October. For one thing, players typically only get a few weeks off during the offseason before starting over. They can also practice in the off season to stay alert and ready.
But players have not had that luxury in recent months due to the pandemic. And while most players are supposed to stay in shape by being creative at home, being fit is completely different from being in basketball-ready shape. The cost that a 48-minute game puts on your body, whether it’s the cardio or the bumps and bruises, is just different.
The IATF at the time of this writing has not yet allowed full contact game of the 5v5 variety. And until that happens, players will not be able to truly immerse themselves in the world of hitting and hitting in the game. that they have already felt so comfortable. Only three weeks left until the reboot. So while we should be happy basketball is back, manage your expectations of the level of play until these guys find their groove again.
2. Have safety precautions been taken to prevent the bubble from bursting?
This is probably the most important question facing the PBA. Because of what the NBA has done in Florida, there is already a plan on how to create a bubble that is seemingly foolproof.
But that was never a realistic proposal for the PBA. The logistics, location, daily swab testing, technology, and countless little nuances that make the NBA the best-prepared league of the four major North American sports didn’t come for free. Millions of dollars were invested in this, hoping that we could get a return on investment just by getting the basketball back.
The PBA doesn’t have those same deep pockets, especially after a pandemic that has brought the economy to its knees. So they had to be creative and find a way around the margins for this to happen.
Selecting Clark was a good start because they are far from densely populated areas that may threaten to burst the bubble. But now the work begins daily. We will soon find out how the tests will be done and how often they will be given to everyone in the bubble. But will it be enough? And if the results come out in the middle of a season and a player or staff is found to test positive for COVID, what happens then?
It will take a lot of hard work, discipline, cooperation, and trust for literally everyone who comes into Clark. And all eyes will be on the PBA to see the success of this effort. If you can keep everyone safe and allow this season to continue and end without a hitch, this could easily be one of the best success stories of 2020.
3. Who are the contenders again?
We’ve been so caught up in the logistics and prep and willy-nilly of the PBA bubble that we forget there is real basketball to play. The San Miguel Brewers are still the defending champions! North Port Batang Pier are sneaky contenders if Christian Standhardinger can play at an elite level! JP Erram has yet to debut with TNT KaTropa! The NLEX Road Warriors have 50 guards on their roster!
It will take some time for everyone to become completely comfortable with their surroundings and surroundings in the bubble, and for viewers to get used to this situation. But the truth is, we are all eager to re-discuss basketball related stories. After all, that’s pretty much the reason we’re starting over. Basketball has been out of our lives for too long. In a few months, I hope I can go home.
