E-Painters, Energy, Kings leave for Dubai

Three teams from the Philippine Basketball Association will leave Tuesday evening for Dubai, UAE to play two games in that Gulf state.

The 95-man contingent led by PBA Commissioner Chito Salud is scheduled to leave at 11:55 p.m. via Etihad Airways that will touch down in Abu Dhabi. The contingent, which will then motor to Dubai, also included the Rain or Shine, Barako Bull and Barangay Ginebra ballclubs.

The Elasto Painters, who lost their first two games in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, is scheduled to play against Barako Bull at 8 p.m. Thursday Dubai time (12 midnight Manila time) and against Barangay Ginebra at 7 p.m. Friday (11 pm Manila time). Both games are to be played at the Al Shabab Club.

Edwin Deang, chairman of the organizing Philippine Expats Basketball Club (PEBC), said the highly-anticipated two-day basketball extravaganza promises to be a box-office hit.

“The clamor to bring the PBA back to Dubai has been tremendous, especially after the
basketball-hungry Filipinos here had been treated by the PBA games last year so we decided to give in to their wishes,” Deang said.

Last Year, the PBA also played two games Dubai featuring Talk N’ Text, Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg.

Salud said the PBA is committed to bringing the PBA anywhere in the region where there are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

“We consider all OFWs modern day heroes of our country. Hopefully, by bringing the games closer to them we are able to bring joy and inspiration to them,” Salud said.

source: www.pba.ph