CALOOCAN-based PBA franchises NLEX and Blackwater play in their home turf as they slug it out in the kickoff of the first-ever PBA preseason "On Tour" on May 21 at the Caloocan Sports Complex in Brgy. Bagumbong.
All is set for this novel event showcasing the 12 PBA teams, with their regular players, free agents and rookie aspirants, in various venues in Metro Manila and nearby provinces while the regular season is on hold to give way to Gilas Pilipinas' participation in the Southeast Asian Games, the FIBA World Cup and the Asian Games.
The ball clubs will play 11 games each in a series of exhibition matches where the league experiments proposed new game rules.
The games will be played Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with out-of-town sorties slated on Saturdays. The games will be shown over One Sports on Cignal TV.
"Hinto ang regular games pero ilalaro natin itong mga larong ito para ipakita pa rin natin ang mga players and teams natin sa fans. Kasamang mapapanood nila ang mga possible rookies sa parating na PBA season," said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
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The teams will be allowed to list 17 players with 16 to play per game.
"Pwede ang rookie aspirants, but they can only play for one team in this PBA on Tour series. Hindi pwedeng patalon-talon o palipat-lipat," said Marcial.
Regular venue is the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, but the PBA on Tour will be seen as far as Dumaguete City in the Visayas. The series will also have stops in Bulacan, Batangas and Quezon as it also hops over to university gyms like UST and Olivarez College.
In support of Gilas' international campaigns, PBA Season 48 won't open until sometime in October.
PBA players spearhead Gilas' bids for redemption in the Cambodia SEAG, a fighting showing in the World Cup and breakthrough in the Asiad in China. (SB)
