ABL: 2 Alab games postponed for now due to COVID-19

By Jonas Terrado

Two more games of San Miguel Alab Pilipinas were among those postponed by the ASEAN Basketball League on Sunday due to precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Alab was supposed to play a road game Sunday afternoon against the Singapore Slingers and host the Kuala Lumpur Dragons on Tuesday in Sta. Rosa, Laguna when league officials decided to call off both matches.

The ABL acknowledged that it was forced to call off the two games and the Slingers’ matches against the Macau Black Bears on March 15 and Thailand’s Mono Vampire on March 18 after their new import Jameel McKay was forced to be placed under quarantine.

McKay, who once played as an PBA import for Phoenix, was quarantined after it was learned that he was part of the same flight where a French national tested positive for COVID-19.

He, however, not shown any symptoms of the illness for the past six days.

“McKay is currently being quarantined and is under observation. He does not have any symptoms and does not feel ill,” the league said in a statement. “According to the Ministry of Health in Singapore, he will be quarantined until March 17th, which is 14 days from when he landed in Singapore (March 3rd).”

McKay suited up last Friday when the Slingers fell 70-67 to the Dragons in Kuala Lumpur, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds before fouling out.

“The rest of the Singapore Slingers players, staff, and personnel, as well as that of the Kuala Lumpur Dragons, and league personnel who may have had contact with McKay, are now being monitored for the next 48 hours for any signs of illness.

“This process and precautionary measure has been advised and endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Center for Disease Control (US-CDC), and Singapore Ministry of Health, for persons who have been in contact with a person on the ‘contact list’ who does not present any symptoms of any illness,” the league added.

Eight Alab games have been postponed since last month as part of the measures against the spread of the COVID-19.
Alab, which was already in the Lion City before the league made the announcement, was supposed to parade new imports Justin Brownlee and John Fields against the Slingers at the OCBC Arena.

Coach Jimmy Alapag’s team has not played since defeating the Saigon Heat 99-79 at home last Feb. 23 in Sta. Rosa.

Source: Manila Bulletin