FOR some folks in Candon City in Ilocos Sur, the decision not to watch the PBA games last Saturday was, maybe, a matter of life and death.
It turned out that people of the city preferred to stay home than risk their lives after a magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit the area on Saturday, shaking homes and buildings and rattling their nerves, on the day the Magnolia and NorthPort game was scheduled.
The game went on as scheduled anyway, but the stands showed plenty of empty seats as Candon fans gathered their wits and courage probably waiting for the shaking to completely disappear.
READ Magnolia finishes strong vs. NorthPort to return to winning ways
Finally, when things appeared normal and no longer sensing any aftershock, the crowd reportedly started trickling to the venue.
People had earlier wondered why there were empty sits when in three previous PBA games, the venue was sold out.
“Lumindol kasi nung tanghali. Medyo nag-alangan yung mga tao (na manood),” one PBA personnel told SPIN.ph.
It wasn’t until around past 8 p.m. that people reportedly started trekking to the arena, or about 30 minutes after the start of the game.
“Kaya makikita talaga may mga bakanteng silya,” said the same source.
The earthquake jolted La Union and parts of Ilocos just before noon of Saturday, the epicenter of which was in Luna, La Union.
But the league is confident the venue will be overflowing once the PBA holds the annual All-Star festivities in the same venue. Assuming, of course, no other natural phenomena happens.
By the way, Magnolia scored a comeback win against Northport, 106-97, to secure the first berth in the quarterfinals. - Gerry Ramos
A Gilas Pilipinas home game in Cebu?
That is what the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) plans to do next year after getting informed that a new, state-of-the-art playing venue called the SM Seaside Arena is going to be inaugurated soon.
The new stadium being built in the South Road Properties, a reclaimed area in Cebu City, is said to be better than the SM Mall of Asia Arena, prompting the SBP to explore the possibility of looking at the option of playing Gilas home games outside Metro Manila.
Gilas will play in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asia Qualifiers starting in the November 2025 window, and the SBP has already spoken to SM management about having Gilas games at the new facility.
“There is a bigger chance, if not the February window next year, maybe the middle of the year, we are looking at that option,” said SBP president Al Panlilio. “Because it’s a new stadium, better than MOA daw. There’s [also] a practice court.”
The development is something Cebuano fans may look forward to with Gilas slated to play world-rated Australia and New Zealand and Guam in the World Cup qualifiers under a home-and-away format. - Reuben Terrado
LA Tenorio ready to retire?
LA Tenorio’s Gilas Youth head-coaching debut has been off to a dream start with an average winning margin of 48 points through two games in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers.
Now that he has experienced coaching and seems to be enjoying it, he was asked if he is ready to sign off on his playing career?
"No," he said, emphatically.
Barangay Ginebra’s veteran playmaker made it clear that his unrestricted free agent (UFA) status is not an indication of an impending exit from the team or from the league anytime soon.
“I'm still gonna go back to the PBA. I still have a contract and I still want to play,” Tenorio told SPIN.ph.
In fact, the 40-year-old tactician is using his first foray as national team head coach as a means to inspire his Gilas Youth wards that age shouldn’t deter anyone from reaching their sporting dreams.
“For me, it's also nice na nagco-coach ako ngayon ng mga bata na future Philippine basketballers,” he said. “At the same time, nakikita rin nila akong naglalaro at nakikita nila na ‘yung mga pinapagawa ko sa kanila, nagagawa ko pa rin. Malaking bagay ‘yun.”
Tenorio, along with Ginebra coach Richard del Rosario and team governor Alfrancis Chua, are halfway through the regional qualifiers which they will look to perfect by week’s end to secure a spot in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup. - John Mark Garcia
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