THE PBA bubble will be keenly watched by no less than Fiba, according to league commissioner Willie Marcial.
Marcial said Fiba officials will be observing the bubble to be held at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga which the PBA commissioner said the international basketball federation can replicate if successful.
“Balita ko, tinitignan po tayo ng Fiba kung papaano [i-conduct ang bubble],” said Marcial during Tuesday’s press conference organized by the Clark Development Corporation as PBA teams continued to arrive at the Quest Hotel.
“Alam ko ‘yung mga 3x3 at ‘yung ibang Fiba (competitions), kapag naging successful tayo, baka gamitin din po ang Clark. ‘Yun ang balita ko,” Marcial added.
Marcial didn’t mention the specific competitions Fiba is planning to hold but the body already bared that it will stage “bubbles” instead of home-and-away games for the qualifiers of continental cups in November 2020 and February 2021.
Each bubble, Fiba said, will have four or eight teams of one or two qualification groups depending on the regional federation, but the sites of the games have yet to be decided upon.
Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to play road games against Korea on November 27 and Thailand on November 30. The Philippines will then host the game against Indonesia on February 18 and Korea on February 21, but that is expected to change because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fiba interest came at the time when the PBA is preparing to stage a bubble for two months to complete its 2020 Philippine Cup. Teams have been arriving at the Quest Hotel for the past two days under strict health protocols.
Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) president Vince Dizon welcomed Fiba’s interest.
“Makakaasa po tayo, handa po tayo dito at sisiguraduhin natin na kakayanin natin kung gugustuhin ng Fiba,” said Dizon.
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