While professional sport has been suspended around much of the world due to the coronavirus, basketball is moving closer to a return in east Asia even if, for now, fans are not allowed to attend.
SouthKorea has been working desperately to contain the virus that has resulted inmore than 8,500 cases there, with the rate of infection slowing since its peakon Feb. 29.
Onthe same day, the 10-team Korean Basketball League (KBL), which was originallyscheduled to finish its regular season on Mar. 31, was suspended. Next Tuesdayhowever, the league will hold a meeting to discuss restarting the competition,with reports suggesting it could return to the court as early as the end of themonth, though behind closed doors.
Currentchampion Ulsan Hyundai Mobis has arranged practice games against localuniversities from Mar. 24-27 and a number of foreign players who had left thecountry after suspension are expected to return soon.
MurphyHolloway, who plays for the Incheon ET Land Elephants, arrived back in Korea onWednesday. Aaron Haynes of Seoul SK Knights is due to land later this week.
"Thereis a shortage of tickets from the United States at the moment but we expectthat Haynes will enter the country on Sunday," a Knights official said.
