Using the Philippine Basketball Association’s closed-circuit model, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas told the International Basketball Federation it is offering to host the February window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
FIBA Asia has been struggling to find willing hosts for the resumption of the continental meet.
Though the Manama bubble is still on for Pool A and D from November 27 to 30, the governing body for basketball has been forced to cancel Pool B and E games in Doha, Qatar.
“We’re willing to host our bubble, but if FIBA requires… Since there are a lot of teams that have not been able to find a host, we can host two groups for February, so that’s six to eight teams,” bared SBP president Al Panlilio.
SBP is currently in talks with Bases Conversion and Development Authority CEO Vince Dizon, who is also the czar of the National Action Plan against COVID-19.
Though FIBA has its own protocols for its resumption, the SBP believes the PBA’s system in Clark is on-par with what FIBA implements.
“Hats off to Commissioner Willie [Marcial], they did a good job in the PBA showcasing what we can do. It’s a model that we can offer to FIBA as one of the areas they can consider for the next bubble hosting in February,” he continued.
PBA’s model strictly implements a hotel-venue-hotel set-up.
Players, team officials, and league staff reside in Quest Hotel in Clark. The team travels to the Angeles University Foundation Sports & Cultural Center, which is 10.8-kilometers away.
The federation hopes that this can happen so that the tournament proper can go on as planned on August. Indonesia has been awarded the hosting of the quadrennial meet.
“I think FIBA has welcomed that offer. We would just have to start discussions with them on what are the nitty-gritty agreements and arrangements that need to happen,” said Panlilio.
“But I’m sure we’d be able to arrive at something that will be not only good for us, but also good for the FIBA.”
