Tiongson Juami Tiongson of Terrafirma challenges the defense of CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer in the PBA game last December 26. PBA.photo

PBA games called off

January 3, 2022 People's Tonight 544 views

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has postponed all scheduled games this week until it hears from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) allowing the league to continue its tournament.

The league has already sent a letter to GAB on Monday and hopes to get a reply within a few days.

Besides the GAB, the PBA also needs the approval of Local Government Units (LGUs) allowing it to hold the games.

Should the GAB allow the PBA to go ahead, a nod from the LGUs are still needed before it could conduct the games.

Metro Manila has been placed under Alert Level 3 following the sudden surge of COVID-19 cases just after Christmas.

Before the latest surge of COVID-19 cases, the PBA has already been allowed a 50 percent capacity crowd at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Its Christmas Day double header that featured games between NLEX and Phoenix and Ginebra vs. Magnolia drew a crowd of 4,843.

Earlier, the PBA named 12 players who will serve as league ambassadors to the coming East Asia Super League (EASL).

The 12 represent each PBA member team and act as faces of the league to the soon-to-be launched meet that has a home-and-away format.

Paul Lee of Magnolia, Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, Jeron Teng of Alaska, TNT’s Roger Pogoy, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, and June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel are among those chosen as ambassadors carrying the name of their respective ballclubs.

Completing the list are Matthew Wright of Phoenix, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Terrafirma’s Juami Tiongson, Kevin Ferrer of NorthPort, Baser Amer of Blackwater, and NLEX’s Kevin Alas.

Jared Dillinger of Ginebra was a special addition to the list of ambassadors as his viral videos documenting the life inside the first ever PBA bubble in Clark, Pampanga last year was promoted by EASL.

“There is something about international competitions. Bragging rights are on the line,” said Dillinger. PBA online

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