PBA struts stuff anew overseas

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association is going overseas again, bringing official games to Dubai, and possibly to Guam and in US mainland.

Almost a done deal is another visit by the PBA in the Gulf business hub early next year, showcasing back-to-back games featuring the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

“All we need is to sign a contract. We’ll be back in Dubai either in January or February,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial told The STAR shortly before his trip to Hong Kong with the PBA board of governors.

The PBA has been to the United Arab Emirates capital thrice, twice during the time of PBA commissioner Chito Salud.

And the local pro league has also received invitations to be back in Guam and make an initial foray in the United States, possibly to play one game in East Coast and another one in West Coast.

“We’re looking at the invitations, and the promoters are studying the plan,” said Marcial.

Promoters in Guam and in the US mainland specifically mentioned Ginebra as their prepared team to showcase to their people.

The PBA frequently visited Guam during the time of commissioner Jun Bernardino and visited the US Pacific territory once during the commissionership of Noli Eala.

Meanwhile, five out-of-town settos are set in the elimination round of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup that fires off Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

These road showcases are apart from the Davao del Sur, Batangas City and Iloilo legs of the 2018 PBA All-Star festivities from May 23-27.

The tourney opens Sunday with a twinbill pitting Blackwater versus Columbian Dyip at 4:30 p.m. then TNT KaTropa against GlobalPort at 6:30 p.m.

The league commissioner and the PBA governors return from their Hong Kong trip on the eve of the Sunday opener.

“It’s actually just a bonding session, but there are governors that may raise a proposal, and the PBA board would surely be ready to deal with it,” said Marcial.

SBP president Al Panlilio, who sits in the PBA board as representative of the Meralco Bolts, will ask the recommendation of the board on the make-up of Team Phl for the FIBA 3x3 World Cup that the country hosts in June.