Blackwater player 'suspected' for COVID-19 clears antigen test

A Blackwater player just got a bit of sigh of relief. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Another potential "false negative" may have just existed in the PBA bubble.

Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro said on Sunday night that the Blackwater player who was initially tested positive in the recent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test was tested negative in the antigen test.

"Just earlier, he was tested through antigen, and a negative result was out," Castro said in a press conference prior to the game between Ginebra and Magnolia at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.

The situation was similar to the referee who initially got a positive result in last week's swab test but was later declared a "false positive" after the results in antigen and the latest RT-PCR tests came out.

"We will wait for the result tomorrow of his RT-PCR," Castro further said of the Elite baller.

The said referee apparently officiated the Blackwater-Alaska game on Tuesday night, prompting both teams to request for an RT-PCR test on Thursday prior to their scheduled games then.

Earlier Sunday, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial announced that the Aces were all tested negative for COVID-19.

On the other hand, the TNT Tropang Giga had to be isolated as well since they played the Elite on Friday night.

Blackwater's supposed Sunday night game against Rain Or Shine has been postponed and may be inserted to an existing doubleheader, effectively making it a triple-header.

"We're going to fix our schedule. Expect a new schedule to be released anytime," Castro further said.

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