Sweet fresh deals chased inside bubble

MANILA, Philippines — The forthcoming PBA Philippine Cup resumption in Clark may well serve as a platform for players with expiring contracts in December to make a strong case for fresh deals.

“If a player is expiring or his contract hasn’t been renewed, this will be an all-in opportunity. You really have to give it your all, that would be among your motivation to stay in the bubble and perform well,” Meralco’s Nico Salva said in Wednesday’s Sports Page on One Sports.

Salva is among the bubble participants facing end-of-contract situations at the conclusion of the pandemic-stalled season. The former Ateneo star’s original pact expired last August and per PBA policy, was extended to the end of 2020.

San Miguel veteran Arwind Santos is with Salva in this list of cagers seeking a renewal after December.

“It’s all up to Boss Al (SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua) and Boss Robert (SMB governor Robert Non) and they always show a positive response. But just the same, I still need to prove my worth so they won’t have second thoughts to give an extension,” Santos said in Filipino.

The PBA is set to reopen its All-Filipino tournament on Oct. 11 at the Angeles University Foundation in Angeles City.

Yesterday, the first five squads kickstarted their full training sessions at the AUF after completing their mandatory isolation at Quest Hotel and getting cleared with the release of their swab testing.

Magnolia and Meralco hit the courts at 1 p.m. with the Hotshots holding scrimmages at the main court at the fourth floor and the Bolts having theirs at the second floor practice court.

Phoenix and Terra Firma came in after Magnolia and Meralco, respectively, at 3:30 p.m. after a half-hour “sanitation” at the training site while TNT Tropang Giga followed suit at 6 p.m.

The second batch of teams to arrive at Clark – Alaska, Blackwater, Ginebra, NLEX, NorthPort, defending champion San Miguel Beer, and Rain or Shine – are slated to commence scrimmages today.