NorthPort waits for new import
CAMERON Forte has left the country and Northport is bringing in a new import.
The Batang Pier are hoping to have Jamel Gurley Artis for their next game on Jan. 6 against TNT Tropang Giga at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 28-year-old Artis, who recently played for AO Ionikos Nikaias in the Greek top flight, reportedly has yet to secure a working visa.
Artis, a power forward, averaged 7.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for Nikaias in their most recent campaign in the Fiba Europe Cup.
Forte suffered a knee injury in his second game with Northport, which now holds a 0-4 win-loss card.
New year, new contract
Nard Pinto has been offered a new contract but yet to sign, according to sources.
MEMBERS of the 2014 PBA Rookie Draft class not bound to contracts will make up the first batch of players to become unrestricted free agents under a rule passed by the league board late in term of former commissioner Chito Salud.
Meralco guard Nards Pinto, NLEX gunner Jericho Cruz, and Phoenix guard Chris Banchero are among the first players that stand to benefit from the landmark board decision that ushered in real free agency in the 46-year old league.
Several other players' contracts expired at the stroke of midnight after Commissioner Willie Marcial and the PBA board members stopped the practice of rolling over contracts automatically in a Covid-hit season.
"By Dec. 31, matatapos na lahat ng contracts," said Marcial. "So kung hindi sila pinapirma ng bagong kontrata, mga free agents na ang mga 'yan."
All contract extensions should be forwarded to the PBA office by Monday.
College sports training stops
Varsity teams take a huge hit.
WITH Metro Manila back under Alert Level 3, college sports teams’ preparations will be greatly affected ahead of the leagues’ planned resumption.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Emergence of Infectious Diseases put the NCR back on heightened alert due to the sudden surge of Covid-19 cases during the holidays.
The directive means that collegiate teams will be barred from returning to their bubble trainings as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) only allowed the practices to be held for places under Alert Levels 1 and 2.
March 2022 is the target date of resumption of competitions for the UAAP and NCAA and teams on Dec. 13 were given the go signal by CHED to start training.
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