Sweet homecoming

Castro excited to play in hometown

MANILA, Philippines — TNT veteran guard Jayson Castro is the most excited among the players for the PBA Philippine Cup’s resumption in his hometown Bacolor, Pampanga.

Castro is set for his homecoming in the play restart being eyed to take place in his high school alma mater, Bacolor’s Don Honorio Ventura State University.

“Sobrang excited ako nung nabalitaan ko. Doon ako nag high school, doon din ako nag-varsity ng basketball at track and field,” Castro said in the The Link Podcast.

“Sobrang happy ko na makikilala yung school,” added “The Blur” of his alma mater, which was named Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trade during his time.

Teams have already set base in different hotels all over Pampanga in preparation for the looming return to action under a “semi-bubble” setup as approved by the IATF and provincial government headed by Gov. Dennis Pineda.

The pro league now seeks the go-signal from the DHVSU, whose board of trustees is scheduled to meet today to discuss the PBA’s planned use of their gym.

“Kapag okay na sila (DHVSU), siguro by first week of September, game na tayo,” Commissioner Willie Marcial, who wants teams to have seven or eight practice days before sending them back to the hardcourt, told The STAR.

The squads started sweating it out in various facilities in San Fernando, Angeles and Mexico yesterday, giving Marcial an added shot of confidence.

“Sana tuloy tuloy na tayo,” he said.

Marcial said the league has firmed up its health and safety protocols for the “hotel-venue-hotel” setup in Pampanga with RT-PCR tests now on a weekly cycle every Monday and antigen tests set the morning of each play date.