By REYNALD MAGALLON
The PBA, Shakey’s Super League and NCAA cancelled their scheduled games early Sunday just hours before super typhoon Karding made its expected landfall in the main island of Luzon.
With an unprecedented “explosive intensification” according to the country’s weather forecaster, the pro league immediately announced the cancellation its double-header, including the game between crowd-drawer Ginebra and Converge.
Shakey’s Super League and NCAA followed suit as both fearing for the safety of players, fans and game officials.
The storm, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, is expected to continue strengthening as it makes landfall around 80 kilometers northeast of the sprawling capital Manila in the afternoon or evening local time.
“We ask residents living in danger zones to adhere to calls for evacuation whenever necessary,” Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin said.
The 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup games were supposed to be played at the Mall of Asia Arena with sister teams Meralco and NLEX clashing at 4:30 p.m. before the 6 p.m. duel between Converge and Ginebra.
Ginebra was expected to make its mid-season conference debut with resident import Justin Brownlee and new acquisitions Jamie Malonzo and Von Pessumal while Meralco was also set play its first game in the conference bannered by NBA veteran import Johnny O’Bryant.
NLEX and Converge, on the other hand, coming off impressive debuts last Sept. 23, were actually looking to sustain their respective momentums in the postponed Sunday showdowns.
Meanwhile, Leg 3 of the PBA 3×3 scheduled on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 27, has also been postponed.
Likewise, the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball games at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan between Jose Rizal University and College of St. Benilde at 12 noon and San Beda and Perpetual at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, and the UAAP Season 85 press conference at the MOA Arena Monday, Sept. 26, were also suspended.
Shakey’s Super League, which opened its tournament just last Saturday also canceled its supposed quadruple header at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum due to typhoon Karding.
Letran and Mapua were supposed to make their debuts in the first game while Adamson took on Emilio Aguinaldo College in the second game. (With reports from Nikole Javier, Carlo Anolin, AFP)
