PBA will feature four headings in the revised calendar

SMART CLARK GIGA CITY: The race to the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs grows more intense as the league unveiled a revised compact schedule on Sunday to make up for the recent postponement.

Five quad headers, rare in the league’s 45-year existence, head the new knockout round schedule as officials decided to compress the remaining 30 games into just nine days following the suspension of four game dates and a total of 12 games.

Two triple headers and two double headers summarize the modified schedule after the PBA was forced to take a four-day break starting last Friday on the recommendation of the IATF and DOH to halt the league after two false-positive cases.

Games will resume on Tuesday, November 3, with a four-game day beginning at 10 am at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena.

Magnolia, Meralco, TNT, Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel, Rain or Shine, NorthPort, Blackwater and Terrafirma all have back-to-back assignments after seeing action in six games or less.

Alaska, who already played the most games at eight, will have a break between game days along with Phoenix and NLEX, who had seven starts.

“The difficulty (to make a new schedule) is because we have to push. I apologize to the teams, but that’s what we really have to do, ”PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial told the Newsletter time in a phone interview, as the league aims to end bubble season before Christmas.

Preparation and conditioning will be the keys for all teams as practice resumed Sunday and Clark has yet to feel the damaging effects of Super Typhoon Rolly.

All teams made the most of the four-day break while continuing their activities inside the Quest Hotel, such as gym workouts, pool training, jogging and running.

“Everyone’s lineup is now balanced. It depends on the teams how to prepare, ”said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.

“It is what it is. We are all in the same boat here,” said Meralco mentor Norman Black. “It is a challenge we have to face and we just have to face it.”

Meanwhile, the bubble remained safe and intact as all 12 kits tested negative in the third cycle of RT-PCR tests.