FOR the first time in over two years, the Philippine Basketball Association will be back at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo by the fourth week of February.
If the current alert status doesn't change, the PBA would even play in the Antipolo venue before a number of spectators allowed by government guidelines.
The Governors' Cup swing in the premier sports center in Rizal province has been finalized in a talk between PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and Antipolo Mayor Junjun Ynares.
The Governors' Cup will re-start at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Feb. 11 and will run Big Dome games up to Feb. 20 before giving way to the FIBA World Cup qualifying games on Feb. 24-28.
"It's good magbibigay daan tayo sa Gilas games sa Araneta and at the same time mabibisita natin and we'll be able to cater some games to our fans in Antipolo at mga kalapit bayan nila," said Marcial.
"Lagpas dalawang taon na tayong hindi nakalaro sa Ynares-Antipolo. Magandang pagkakataon itong mabisita at makamusta sila sa samasama nating pagbangon sa hagupit ng pandemya," added the league commissioner.
The PBA last played in Antipolo on Dec. 23, 2019, bringing the decider of the TNT-Meralco semis matchup. The Bolts won, 89-78.
The Commissioner's Office is in the process of finalizing the schedule of the tournament restart.
"In this schedule, kinokonsidera natin ang paglalaro ng ilang TNT players sa Gilas for the World Cup qualifying games," said Marcial.
The Tropang Giga play four games in the Governors' Cup from Feb. 11 to 18 then take a break for FIBA and come back to play the last two games in the eliminations.
At the start of Gilas training return Saturday in Malarayat, four TNT players in RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Poy Erram and Kib Montalbo joined the Gilas holdovers in the session.
But Chot Reyes, the TNT coach who's also back in the Gilas fold in lieu of Tab Baldwin, has also told his other TNT guys to be ready for a possible call. (SB) (PBA)