THE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Invitationals will serve as prelude to the league’s return to its regular season calendar next year.
Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said the league will take it one step at a time as he hopes that everything will return to normal next year for its 2022-2023 season.
The MPBL, Duremdes stressed, will still target its traditional Independence Day (June 12) opening ceremony.
A long pre-season is in the pipeline shortly after the Invitationals and after a short break, the MPBL will try to return to normal after a two-year absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The ball will be rolling because the league is getting ignited,” Duremdes told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. “We advise the players to stay in shape for the coming season.”
The 22-team Invitationals are set from December 11 to 21 and will be handled by Chooks-To-Go.
Duremdes said the tournament will be short and under Fiba format. The league is eyeing the Mall of Asia Arena as venue and hopes to get a TV coveror.
“We’ll have five games a day starting at 9 a.m.,” said the Philippine Basketball Association legend in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“It’s a single round affair with teams divided into four groups,” he said. “The top two in each group will advance to the playoffs which are all knockout stages.”
Duremdes said the Fiba is also monitoring the short tournament that will be MPBL’s first since deciding to turn pro and be under the supervision of the Games and Amusement Board.
All players should be fully vaccinated in the tournament that will be held under a closed-circuit system, he said.