SAN Sebastian College coach Egay Macaraya is hoping his charges will be ready when they begin their bubble training next week.
“We are inviting everyone to be back this week,” Macaraya told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“Hopefully, we could start next week after the quarantine,” he added.
The Golden Stags are aching to resume face-to-face training, with guarded optimism.
“The players are very excited but still on the other side they are worried due to the pandemic,” Macaraya said. “Hopefully this will end, and all the leagues will open.”
Waning COVID-19 infections despite the presence of what appears to be the highly transmissible Omicron variant in the National Capital Region prompted the government to revert the National Capital Region to the less strict Alert Level 2 status beginning Feb. 1 until Feb. 15.
San Sebastian wound up with an 11-7 card to advance to the Final Four as the fourth-ranked squad in the last NCAA cage wars 2019.
The Stags lost to eventual champion Letran in their stepladder semifinal duel, however.
Gone for the Recto-based five are former stars Allyn Bulanadi and RK Ilagan, who both turned pro.
The likes of energetic big man JM Calma, Kenneth Villapando, and Itchie Altamirano are expected to lead the charge for San Sebastian next season.
The NCAA is eyeing to launch its 97th season in March after plodding on with the 96th season last year with virtual and skills events, with the basketball and volleyball tournaments getting canceled.
Taekwondo and chess were both held online, while alumni from all 10 member-schools participated in All-Star Skills competitions for both basketball and volleyball.
The Commission on Higher Education gave the green light for the resumption of collegiate training under stringent rules last November.
