Batangas welcome site for practices

MANILA, Philippines — PBA teams won’t mind spending extra travel time to and from Batangas City every day if their proposed practices in the general community quarantine-classified area will get the green light.

Rain or Shine coach Chris Gavina said the alternative training site initiated by commissioner Willie Marcial and Barangay Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua is a welcome development for the teams currently limited to zoom workouts by Metro Manila’s quarantine restrictions.

“Obviously, I think everyone would prefer to stay in Manila to resume practice at our regular practice venues. But with quarantine level here in NCR Plus, I think the possibility of going to Batangas to restart our training again is a welcome thought,” he told The STAR.

The PBA is arranging for the ballclubs to resume their suspended non-contact cluster training at Batangas City Coliseum and Batangas State University Gym under the closed circuit setup (home-venue-home routine).

Batangas Mayor Beverley Dumacuha and Rep. Marvey Mariño have welcomed the proposal.

Should this materialize, the teams would have to take a 90-minute road trip from the metropolis to Batangas City and back for their daily sessions.

But Gavina sees no problem with it.

“We are all just eager to be back to the court as soon as we can and if it means having to drive to Batangas on a daily basis to do that, I think we’re all open-minded to it as it allows us to get back to what we miss doing and that’s playing basketball,” he said.

Marcial said he hopes protocols will be finalized and government clearances will be secured soon so the squads can work out in Batangas by the middle of the month.

The pro league also has a pending request with the Inter-Agency Task Force to start 5-on-5 scrimmages in low-risk areas preparatory to a targeted season kickoff in June.