BASKETBALL and volleyball may still be played after all in the NCAA 96th season– digitally.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a highly-reliable source told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday the league is exploring the possibility of holding cage and volley tourneys through the popular video game PlayStation.
“Still exploring the possibility of holding digital games in basketball and volleyball,” the source said. “Pinag-aaralan pa namin kaso ang nagiging problema namin sa ngayon ay ‘di ba kapag sa online iyong PlayStation, kailangan may internet line ka.”
The country’s oldest collegiate league is plodding on with its new season but with online and hybrid events due to the health perils and uncertainties posed by the unseen but vicious enemy.
Even the hybrid events such as the skills challenge and dunk tilt are unlikely to push through.
Set to be hosted by Letran, the 96th season was supposed to be launched this month but has been reset to get going virtually next month.
The source admitted internet connectivity issues at home pose a big problem for the plan.
“It’s still the same, parang 2K. Problema, hindi puwede iyong mga player na maglaro sa kanilang mga bahay kasi wala naman. . . bihira ang may line diyan,” the source said. “Kailangan ng mas mabilis na internet connection.”
Without face-to-face classes where the student athletes could easily make use of their schools’ technology, the plan is facing uncertainty.
“Ang lugar kasi na mayroong Wi-Fi na capable ay mga school campus,” the source said.
“So, magpapaalam kami na puwede ba? Separate rooms naman, hindi naman iyong buong team, ganitong karaming players lang, lima lang, hiwa-hiwalay pa ng room pero wala pang sagot.”
Among the options the league considered was holding its season in a bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The plan did not push through due to the whopping P40 million estimated cost and the absence of the green light from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
