PBA 3×3 inaugural tournament to have 13 teams

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

13 teams are confirmed to participate in the first-ever 3×3 basketball tournament organized by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Dickie Bachmann, the chairman of the PBA 3×3 league, also explained the format of the season where there will be three conferences under six two-day legs and one grand final scheduled match day.

“Since the PBA is the leader of basketball in the Philippines, it’s about time we introduce a new format. Each leg has prize money and the grand finals will also have prize money. The top 10 teams after the first six legs will advance to the grand finals,” Bachmann said.

Leading the way in the 3×3 league are PBA 5×5 mother teams TNT Tropang Giga, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the Meralco Bolts, the NorthPort Batang Pier, the San Miguel Beermen, and the Terrafirma Dyip.

Meanwhile, some PBA mother teams changed names in the 3×3 league: the Magnolia Hotshots reverted to their old name Purefoods, the NLEX Road Warriors now Cavitex Road Warriors, and the Phoenix Super LPG Limitless, the company’s mobile application.

The PBA also invited guest teams that will see action, Pioneer Pro Tibay, Platinum Karaoke, and the Zamboanga Valientes MLV.

According to Bachmann, the 3×3 league will kick off this November but no specific timetable was released.