5 PBA teams head to Clark bubble

Five PBA ball clubs are all set to travel to the Clark Freeport Zone on Monday ahead of the Season 45 resumption in October.

Meralco, Magnolia, Phoenix, Terra Firma, and TNT will be the first teams to enter the bubble. The other seven will follow suit the next day.

The league initially planned for teams to go to the former US military base last Sept. 27, but moved the date due to the swab testing schedules.

The testing for players, coaches, and staff for all 12 teams were reset last Sept. 23 and 24, moving their departure to Sept. 28 and 29.

“Green and go na tayo,” Commissioner Willie Marcial wrote in a text message to Tiebreaker Times, confirming also that all tested negative before going to Clark.

Teams will also undergo testing upon arrival at the former US military base, with results expected to roll out within 24 hours.

Once results come out negative, then all squads are good to go to conduct 5-on-5 scrimmages.

Scrimmages will be held at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center, which is also the official venue of the games.

Per photos posted by the league to Twitter on Sunday, wooden flooring is being laid out on the gym’s second floor to serve as a practice court.

The league, though, is also looking at other possible practice sites for teams within the Mimosa Leisure City, where the Quest Hotel is located.

The Quest Hotel, a four-star hotel, is where the entire PBA delegation will be housed for over two months.

“May advance team na ang PBA dun ngayon,” said Marcial, as the league is now polishing things ahead of the season restart.