THE PBA is set to bring matches closer to true-blue fans in celebrating its golden anniversary, including those who are far from home.
Asia’s pioneering pro league is planning to hold games in Dubai and Bahrain during its 50th founding year starting in October.
After a short but worthy stay in Dubai, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial bared that the league has opted to stage tiffs in the most populous and rich city in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain before the year ends.
Marcial said one game is set in Dubai by October and likely a double-header in Bahrain in December.
Marcial met last week with Dubai Basketball Development Manager Ellie Flemings and Coca Cola Arena Dubai General Manager Mark Jan Kar during the Basketball Champions League Asia, where Meralco carried the PBA’s colors.
“May mga nabanggit nang teams na posibleng maglaro pero hindi pa muna namin i-a-announce kung sino-sino ang mga ito,” Marcial said.
It was a productive meeting Marcial had in the Middle East as two other countries also expressed interest in holding PBA games, possibly by next year.
“Mayron ding proposal to host PBA games sa Qatar at Saudi Arabia. So, tingnan natin,” added the amiable PBA chief.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia played as hosts to PBA exhibition matches in the past, although it was Dubai that served as the venue of several official games by the league, including a two-day series that pitted San Miguel Beer against NLEX and the Road Warriors against the Ginebra Kings in the season-ending Governors’ Cup in 2019.
As the PBA is slated to mark a milestone nearly four months from now, one of the league’s greatest players has also achieved a remarkable achievement.
Ginebra star Scottie Thompson recently became the latest player to pull down 1,000 offensive rebounds during the Kings’ 97-78 demolition of TNT Tropang 5G in the Philippine Cup.
The former MVP was feted with the award over the weekend at the Ynares Center in Antipolo during halftime of the Ginebra-Rain or Shine tiff.
Marcial handed the special PBA plaque to Thompson in a simple awarding ceremony together with Elasto Painters team governor Atty. Mamerto Mondragon.
The feat was actually the fourth for the season for the former NCAA MVP and Gilas Pilipinas mainstay.
Thompson earlier tallied 500 steals, 2,000 defensive rebounds, and 2,000 assists, making him the first cager in the 49-year history of the league to notch four career achievement awards in a single season, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
Like the PBA, Thompson is not done yet reaching new heights.
