TWELVE teams will vie in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Invitational powered by TM on Wednesday at the Laus Events Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga.
“It’s been too long since the country had a 3×3 tournament with the last being the President’s Cup held in October 2020 at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba,” league owner Ronald Mascariñas said. “The pandemic has really affected our goal of garnering valuable Fiba 3×3 points for the country in our dream of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.”
Mascariñas said there’s no entry fee for the one-day tournament.
The teams are HeiHei Manila, Pacquiao Coffee Bacolod, BRT Sumisip Basilan, Homegrown Grains Bocaue, AMACOR Mandaluyong, RBR Cabiao Nueva Ecija, Pasig Kingpins, Adam Esli Pasay, MNL Kingpin Quezon City, Essen Immunoboost Sarangani, Zamboanga Valientes and ARQ Builders Cebu.
The event is also supported by Gatorade, soon-to-be-launched dine-in restaurant Chooks!, Uling Roasters and Adobo Connection.
The tournament will follow the FIBA 3×3 World Tour format with the 12 teams pooled in groups of three. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout playoffs on the same day.
Teams are allowed to tap foreign reinforcements. The champion team will take home P100,000 and the second and third place finishers will bank P50,000 and P20,000, respectively.
The league met with representatives from the 12 teams last Saturday to discuss health and safety protocols through doctor Dr. Jefferson Pagsisihan and 3×3 rules.
The tournament is regulated by the Games and Amusements Board and endorsed by Fiba 3×3., according to technical head Hector Villanueva.