Every year we reflect in our yearbook everything that happened in basketball at the National and International Level. Not only the performances of the Argentines, but of the different champion teams in the most important tournaments in the world. Little of that happened and our yearbook will be emptier than ever. From the 19-20 National League to the Olympics, all suspended and with little to write. Let’s review or at least try to review what happened in 2020.
The pandemic is here to stay in this year (and still not knowing what will happen in 2021). At times it seemed very far away until the fateful March where everything started. On March 12, games were played behind closed doors and directly on the 14th of that month was the beginning of the end for the 19-20 League.
There was a provisional suspension for 15 days, which was then extended by decreeing 30 more days until the end of the regular stage as it was at that time. On June 3, it was announced that the regular phase of the league was over and the play-offs would be advanced for the title among the eight best teams that the contest had presented up to that moment.
It was determined that there will be no relegation but there will be a champion. Finally, whether to decide the venue and seeing the increases in cases, indecisions and the time that passed, everything came to nothing and Finally, on June 17, 2020 the season was ended. No relegation but no champion, an empty season.
Let’s not talk about promotion categories. The Argentine League and the Federal Tournament had delays in their decisions, although the crisis committee suspended the entire tournament due to the same situation. Without promotions and to instantly finish the tournament beyond that the Federal had had a minimal continuity. Later, various problems appeared, such as the support of each of the clubs, the necessary aid, the payments to players and employees, resulting in a long and long tug of war between various parties.
The same with the entire calendar of provincial and Argentine tournaments in our country. From U13 to U19 in both branches, all were impossible to carry out. Beyond stretching the decision, there was no possibility of gambling anywhere. A tremendously complex year for our best. There was no competition at the local level, neither were the so-called Junior Leagues and players who will directly go to another category without having played in this 2020.
We cannot talk about better players, better teams, revelations or players who stepped up as we generally do in our yearbook, especially with minors. The trips that were not and the tournaments that were not played. Still hard to believe such a situation has happened. A lot of zoom, train as best you could, have patience and every so often to return to the club to shoot the hoop, that was the slogan of practically all of 2020.
We had to look out, entertain ourselves with the Endesa League and the NBA. From ours almost nothing or nothing directly until the return of the National League in its bubble format. Buenos Aires as headquarters after the unexpected fall of Cordoba, when it seemed that it would be the ideal place to carry it out.
Two bubbles, North and South with five games per day and the endorsement of the government with all protocols in tow. Finally it worked halfway. The infected began to be commonplace, several teams without even being able to present themselves, almost random measurements and errors everywhere. It was impossible to hold it and suspension came.
After the windows was the return with ten games per day, and apparently a better performance off the court for his “normality” and development. This is how it will remain at least in the first months of 2021. All rarefied but with no other option in the quest to have official basketball. That is how we end the year. Almost empty. Without champions, without celebrations and with a lap that barely makes us smile and tries to excite us for what is to come.
Jos Fiebig
@Josefiebig
.
