One time, the International Olympic
Committee called for a study which revealed that three-on-three or 3x3 basketball
is the largest urban team sport in the world. Its prominence as a formal
alternative to the larger basketball format was reinforced by regular
international games. And if Tokyo powers it through, their long-delayed Summer Games
will inaugurate 3x3 basketball as an Olympic sport. In the Philippines, the
premier professional 3x3 league was begun in 2019 by Bounty Agro Ventures under
their Chooks-to-Go brand. But apparently the Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA) is seeing the potential of 3x3 to the point of starting development for
it. They are close to finalizing their format, even.
The Philippine Star reports that the PBA is almost ready to
introduce its own professional 3x3 basketball league. In a bid to get their
offshoot launched as early as possible, the country’s national pro basketball league
is looking to kick off their first conference next month, March to April. Two
other tournaments, the second starting June and the third September, have also
been tentatively scheduled. This is all outlined in a blueprint timetable that
is due to be submitted to the PBA Board of Governors for approval by February
26.
Spearheading the PBA 3x3 project
is the league’s appointed tournament director (and former PBA player) Eric
Altamirano. This is very important. Altamirano was the first commissioner of
the earlier Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3. He saw the fledgling league from its
inception to its first season, during which the Philippine Games and Amusement
Board (GAB) gave it full professional status. Altamirano stepped down as
commissioner after the Chooks President’s Cup and was quickly snapped up by PBA
to oversee its own 3x3 tournaments just this past January. He had as recently
as last Wednesday, February 3, discussed proposed policies with PBA commissioner
Willie Marcial and Alaska team manager Richard Bachman, the designated
in-charge for PBA’s 3x3 sub-league.
The scheduling of the 3x3
tournaments fall in between the conferences of the regular PBA season, first before
the Philippine Cup, second in between the Philippine and Commissioner’s Cups,
and third in between the Commissioner’s and Governor’s Cups. Around 18 3x3
teams have been brought up to compete in the first conference, which will be played
in line with FIBA rules within a bubble environment, to last 18 days. There is
even a possibility that one of the teams could go to the Olympic qualifying
tournament in Granz, Austria this May, for a chance to play in Tokyo this year.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
0 comments:
Post a Comment