Chooks to hold 3x3 invitiational

Ready for the Chooks 3x3 Invitiational

A year after the President's Cup, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 makes its return to the sports scene with a one-day tournament.

Twelve teams are set to participate in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 Invitational powered by TM, which will take place on Wednesday, October 20, at the Laus Events Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga.

League owner Ronald Mascariñas noted the time passed since the President's Cup, which took place at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna. "The pandemic has really affected our goal of garnering valuable FIBA 3x3 points for the country in our dream of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. For us to re-ignite the fire of our stakeholders and team owners, we organized this one-day tournament which has no entry fee."

"It's about time 3x3 basketball returns," he adds.

The participating 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.

Supported by Gatorade, Uling Roasters, Adobo Connection, and the soon-to-be-launched Chooks! restaurant, the invitational will adopt the familiar 3x3 World Tour format that is also used on the Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 events. As a professional league, it is under the auspices of the Games Amusements Board and has always secured the backing and endorsement of FIBA 3x3.

The twelve teams, who are allowed to tap a foreign reinforcement, will be allocated into four pools, which will play a single round robin within each pool. Top two of each pool will advance into the knockout rounds, which take place later in the day.

Participating teams met with the organizers on Saturday to not only explain the 3x3 rules, but also the necessary health and safety protocols in place as a result of the pandemic.

League doctor Dr. Jefferson Pagsisihan shares, "Actually, I commend the company for preparing for this event. I am so thankful to Chooks-to-Go for pulling off this event kasi it's time to go back to normal. Definitely, it is possible to have this safe event for as long as the teams and the league will adhere to the rules of GAB and the IATF, we will be able to do this tournament." He also adds, "For all the players, just come and play. We will take care of the safety and health of everyone. Just play and entertain the people because we need 3x3 back."

Technical Head Comm. Hector Villanueva notes, "Ready kami because we have reviewed the rules of FIBA 3x3. Ang importante kasi dito is mabigay natin yung international standard of officiating in our league. Si Chooks kasi ang nagpapataas sa ranking natin kaya dapat we need to follow the same officiating as the international tournaments."

The winner of the invitational will take home PhP 100,000, with the second and third place finishers banking, PhP 50,000 and PhP 20,000.