BY WAYLON GALVEZ
Phoenix Super LPG Fuel head coach Louie Alas said Tuesday that he would propose to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial to have one training venue for several teams in order to centralize the disinfection when practice session begins.
Alas said that the Fuel Masters are considering The Upper Deck in Pasig City, the team’s practice facility prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, but they received report that the badminton area, which is beside the basketball courts, is now open for badminton enthusiasts.
“Mahirap sa tingin ko kung ganun na may kasabay kami sa venue, maski na sa kabilang court naman. Under the PBA health protocols mahirap yun,” said Alas.
“So tingin ko, I’ll suggest na isang practice facility na lang for like six teams. Kasi ibang teams naman may regular na sila, or may sarili na silang training venue na sila lang ang gumagamit,” he added.
Marcial is set to meet Friday the 12 coaches and team managers to discuss the parameters and health guidelines of practice sessions after the government, through the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, allowed the return to training of professional basketball players.
One ideal venue, Alas said, is the Gatorade Hoops Gym in Mandaluyong City.
The said basketball court is the current ‘home’ of the Alaska Aces, and mentor Jeffrey Cariaso confirmed that the team would continue to use the venue when the PBA commissioner’s office allows teams to return to practice.
“Praying we can go back soon, but we need to make sure first that the safety protocols are in place,” said Cariaso, as Alaska is a regular tenant of venue owned by Franz Pumaren.
Of the 12 teams in the PBA, only a few other teams have what they can call their ‘own’ training venue.
TNT KaTropa have the Moro gym inside the Ateneo campus, the Meralco Bolts have the company’s gym at the main office in Quezon City, and the NLEX Road Warriors at the FCL gym also in QC.
San Miguel Corporation’s sports director Alfrancis Chua said their three teams would continue to practice at their respective venue, Ginebra at The Upper Deck, Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok at Ronac in San Juan, and San Miguel Beer at Acropolis gym.
However, coach Leo Austria of SMB said they still have to find out, saying: “Hindi pa namin alam kung papayag na ang Acropolis (management), kaya nage-inquire kami sa ibang gym.”