Reports: MPBL keen for a February restart in Subic to end Lakan Season

Citing multiple reports, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League hopes to end the already-extended Lakan Season even if it reaches 2021.

Ten months since it played its most recent games, league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes hopes that the government will finally give them the nod to conclude its third campaign that was started way back on June 12, 2019 at the MOA Arena with thirty-one teams.

Of those, only four remain in the hunt when the coronavirus pandemic halted the season March of last year with the lockdown in place.

Both division titles are up for grabs in a pair of knockout tiffs, with both the Northern clash of San Juan-Makati and the Southern tussle of Davao Occidental-Basilan are deadlocked at a game apiece.

All but the Tigers will have its rosters tweaked after its key players being snapped up to the PBA, with the defending national champion Knights losing Mike Ayonayon to NLEX, the Skyscrapers saw Kib Montalbo wore the TNT uniform and Allyn Bulanadi set to join Alaska after his Gilas duty.

With a maximum of seven games including the best-of-five national finals, Duremdes hopes that they will be given the nod by the Inter-Agency Task Force and the health department as soon as possible, despite not having the professional status by the Games and Amusements Board.

“Yes, tatapusin and waiting lang sa IATF approval,” he said to Niel Masoy of the Manila Times last Christmas.

Last Tuesday, he told to Dennis Gasgonia of ABS-CBN News that should they be given the nod, the MPBL is looking to hold its remaining games in Subic, Zambales.

For Captain Marbel, the fabled Freeport ticks all the boxes needed for the bubble.

"May mga hospitals na sa loob, may mga gym facility na sila, may hotels. Isa rin sila sa pinakastrict na freeport zone na nageenforce ng health protocols," Duremdes quipped.

"So safe ang mga personnel natin at players kapag doon ganapin ang bubble."

With that, he is hoping that they will crown a champion at last.

"Nandoon na tayo sa stage na magcha-champion na sila. I know ready ang mga teams dahil constant naman ang communication namin with the team owners," he said to Gasgonia. 

FILE PHOTO: Harold Biado/San Juan Knights