Ateneo, La Salle remain undefeated in UAAP 3x3 Men's Basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 Collegiate 3x3 Standings

Men’s 

Ateneo 3-0
DLSU 3-0
ADU 2-1
UP 2-1
FEU 1-2
NU 1-2
UE 0-3
UST 0-3

Women’s

UST 3-0
ADU 2-1
Ateneo 2-1
FEU 2-1
DLSU 1-2
NU 1-2
UE 1-2
UP 0-3

Defending UAAP Collegiate Men’s 3x3 champion De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University remained the only unbeaten teams after three games on Tuesday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

The Green Archers routed the National University Bulldogs, 21-13, behind Luis Pablo, who led the charge with eight points and five rebounds. Doy Dungo and Jcee Macalalag added six and five points, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles cruised past the winless University of the East Red Warriors, 21-14, to share the lead with their archrivals in the tournament supported by Wilson Philippines and Ayala Malls and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Andrew Bongo scored eight points, Shawn Tuano had seven, while Kyle Gamber chipped in five for Ateneo.

“We’re just trying to make the school proud. Too many years, even in 5-on-5, not even a Final Four placement,” said Tuano. “We’re just here, trying to bring something home and just trying to make the school proud.

“We have one goal in mind: bring home that gold. We want to bring that championship back to Ateneo; we will try to do that,” he added, noting that the last time Ateneo won the 3x3 crown was in UAAP Season 81, when the sport was still a demonstration event.

In other men’s games, Miguel Yñiguez and Noah Pacquiao delivered game-winners to lift University of the Philippines and Adamson University to a share of third place with identical 2-1 records.

For the second straight game, Yñiguez knocked down a game-winning deuce, lifting the Fighting Maroons past the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in overtime, 20-18. He finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while LA Andres added eight points.

On the other hand, Pacquiao drained a corner deuce — his 10th point of the game — at the buzzer to carry the Soaring Falcons to a 20-18 win over the still winless University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.

FEU and NU slipped to 1-2 heading into Day 3 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, in the women’s division, the battle of unbeatens between the Growling Tigresses and the Lady Tamaraws turned into a lopsided affair, with UST cruising to a 13-2 win for its third straight victory.

Kent Pastrana led the way with five points and nine rebounds, Brigette Santos added four points, while Coi Danganan chipped in three in the rout.

“So lucky to be playing with her in her last tournament here in the UAAP,” said Fil-Australian rookie Erinn Mcalary on being able to team up with Pastrana before she moves on to the next chapter of her career. “It’s more motivation for us to play well in this tournament and hopefully win this to send her off properly.”

The loss dropped the Lady Tamaraws into a tie for second with the Blue Eagles, who defeated the Fighting Maroons, 14-8, and the Lady Falcons, who edged the Lady Archers, 19-17.

Kacey dela Rosa and Kai Oani scored all of Ateneo’s points with eight and six, respectively.

Elaine Etang poured in nine points in Adamson’s win, while Cheska Apag added six.

Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs notched their first win of the tournament despite fielding just three players, defeating the Lady Warriors, 19-16.

Aloha Betanio and Samantha Medina finished with eight and seven points, respectively, while Bonie Solis added four.

Tiger Cubs snap Baby Tams 24-game streak in UAAP U19 Boys 3x3 Basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 High School 3x3 Basketball Standings

19U Boys’
UST 3-0
NUNS 2-1
FEU-D 2-1
DLSZ 2-1
UE 1-2
ADU 1-2
UPIS 1-2
Ateneo 0-3

16u Boys’
FEU-D 3-0
UST 2-1
Ateneo 2-1
DLSZ 2-1
ADU 1-2
UE 1-2
NUNS 1-2
UPIS 0-3

University of Santo Tomas took solo lead in the UAAP Season 88 19-and-under 3x3 basketball tournament after pulling off two thrilling wins on Tuesday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

The Tiger Cubs ended the 24-game winning streak of defending champions FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws with a 21-18 victory to open their day, before following it up with a 21-16 win over the DLSZ Junior Archers. With those results, UST remained the only unbeaten team in the tournament, which is supported by Wilson Philippines and Ayala Malls and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Kirk Cañete led the charge against FEU-D, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, finishing with 10 points, while Joaqui Ludovice added seven.

Ludovice then took over against DLSZ, finishing with nine points, while Jettlee Melano and Cañete chipped in five points apiece.

“Happy po kami as a team kasi nagtulong-tulungan kami. Lahat ito, pinaghandaan kami,” said Ludovice, the 5-foot-9 guard who is in Grade 11 but will age out of the league’s high school competitions in UAAP Season 89. “Pero hindi pa kami ganoon kasaya kasi hindi pa namin naabot yung pinaka goal namin, which is yung championship. Happy kami pero hindi pa kami kuntento.”

For Ludovice, winning the 3x3 tournament would be a perfect cap to their high school run after finishing sixth in the 5-on-5 competition last March.

“Sineseryoso namin ito kasi ito yung comeback namin from 5-on-5. UAAP pa rin ito at parehong championship pa rin ang pinaglalabanan dito,” said Joaqui, the younger brother of former San Beda Red Lion Yvan Ludovice.

The middle of the standings remains tightly packed, with FEU-D, National University Nazareth School, and De La Salle-Zobel all holding 2-1 records.

Cabs Cabonilas powered FEU-D with 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 21-13 bounce-back win over Ateneo.

Meanwhile, University of the Philippines Integrated School leaned on the duo of Jhustin Hallare and Bruce Tubongbanua, who both scored nine points, in a 22-20 stunner over NUNS. However, NUNS responded later in the day with a 21-11 rout of Adamson.

Niño Ferrer then scored a deuce in overtime to lift DLSZ to a 20-18 win over Ateneo, helping the Junior Archers rebound.

Adamson, UE, and UPIS are all at 1-2, while Ateneo remains winless in the division.

In the 16-and-under division, defending champion Ateneo—coming off a 21-17 win over UE earlier in the day—saw its 10-game winning streak snapped after FEU-Diliman pulled off a 21-15 victory.

Prince Cariño dominated the match, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Baby Tamaraws also cruised in their first game of the day, defeating Adamson 21-13 behind nine points from Dwayne Enriquez and seven from Cariño to move to 3-0 in the division.

Ateneo, UST, and DLSZ are all at 2-1, while Adamson, UE, and NUNS sit at 1-2. UPIS remains winless.

The Junior Tiger Cubs also went 2-0 for the day, scoring wins over NUNS (21-16) and UPIS (21-13).

Miguel Jubilado and CJ Tabbuga scored eight and seven points, respectively, against the Bullpups, while Tabbuga added nine points and Dave Regala contributed seven points and nine rebounds against the Fighting Maroons.

DLSZ, which started the day with a 21-20 escape over UPIS, suffered a 19-15 upset loss to NUNS—the Bullpups’ first win of the tournament.

Junior Archers head trainer Joshua Webb said his squad needs to experience both highs and lows to grow in the competition.

“Just a few tweaks and adjustments here and there, but that’s going to come. 3x3 is a different animal from 5-on-5, and it’s our job to teach them that,” said Webb, a DLSZ legend and former Philippine-ranked 3x3 player during his stint with Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.

The Junior Warriors finally broke through with their first win, edging the Adamson Baby Falcons 19-17 in overtime as James Mesa nailed the game-winning deuce.

The tournament will resume on Thursday, with the high school girls’ competition also set to begin on the same day.

Dela Rosa, Apag seek to build on FIBA 3x3 experience onto UAAP 3x3

c/o UAAP

Two weeks after making Philippine 3x3 history, Kacey dela Rosa and Cheska Apag return to familiar ground to lead their respective universities in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s 3x3 Basketball Tournament, which begins today (Monday) at Ayala Malls By The Bay.

Dela Rosa and Apag were part of the Gilas Women’s squad that captured silver in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup. Dela Rosa, together with UAAP alums Afril Bernardino, Mikka Cacho, and Tantoy Ferrer, also helped the Philippines punch its ticket to the 3x3 World Cup.

“I’m super excited, of course. Coming from the FIBA Asia Cup and World Cup Qualifiers, I know I learned a lot from those tournaments, and you know I’m just excited to share it with my teammates on the court,” said Dela Rosa.

She will be joined by 5-on-5 Rookie of the Year Erica De Luna, Kai Oani, Lauren Lopez, and Hannah Lopez as Ateneo de Manila University opens its campaign against two former champions, University of Santo Tomas at 12:40 p.m., followed by National University at 3:20 p.m.

Now, Dela Rosa is focused on anchoring the Blue Eagles’ title-retention bid in the three-a-side game.

“Whenever I play naman, for Gilas especially, you know, for Ateneo, I’m super competitive talaga. Siguro kasi nakasanayan na talaga eh. I came from Chiang Kai Shek kasi, and I guess dun ko parang na-adapt yung mindset na ganun. Gusto ko lagi manalo or mag champion kahit anong team pa yan,” she added.

Adamson University’s Cheska Apag, meanwhile, will be joined by Elaine Etang, Jam Meniano, Niclen Manlimos, and Nadine Muñoz as they look to bounce back into podium contention after missing out last season.

The women’s division is expected to be highly competitive, with UST, NU, and University of the Philippines fielding loaded squads.

The Growling Tigresses, reigning 5-on-5 champions, will be led by Kent Pastrana, who will be representing UST for the final time in this tournament. She will be joined by Brigette Santos, Karylle Sierba, Coi Danganan, and Erinn McAlary.

UAAP Season 86 Girls' 3x3 MVP Cielo Pagdulagan will spearhead the Lady Bulldogs, alongside Dindy Medina, Aloha Betanio, Bonie Solis, and Samantha Medina, as NU looks to rebound after missing the podium last season.

Louna Ozar will lead the Cacho-trained Fighting Maroons and will be flanked by Camille Nolasco, Achrissa Maw, Shane Cunanan, and Marielle Vingno.

The rivalry clash between UST and NU is set for April 30 at 6 p.m.

On the collegiate men’s side, De La Salle University is eyeing a fourth straight 3x3 crown in this tournament supported by Wilson Philippines and Ayala Malls, and is sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Seniors Earl Abadam and Jcee Macalalag return, teaming up with reigning MVP Doy Dungo, EJ Gollena, and Luis Pablo.

“We take it with pride and honor to have the chance to bring La Salle a fourth 3x3 championship this year. This one will mean a lot to Jcee and me since it will be our last year playing and wearing a La Salle jersey,” said Abadam, who is aiming for his fifth overall UAAP title.

Last season’s silver medalists, the Growling Tigers, will bring back Amiel Acido, Gelo Crisostomo, and Ice Danting, along with rookies Carl Manding and Koji Buenaflor.

Crisostomo is currently in Sanya, China, representing the Philippines in the 3x3 competition of the 6th Asian Beach Games.

Last season's bronze medalists, the Soaring Falcons, will feature Allen Perez, AJ Fransman, Joshua Barcelona, Mat Edding, and Noah Pacquiao.

After finishing in the lower half of the standings last season, the Nico Salva-mentored Blue Eagles will field a deep lineup with Andrew Bongo, Shawn Tuano, Kyle Gamber, Alden Cainglet, and Thirdy Ebdane.

La Salle opens its title defense against Adamson at 2 p.m.

Cabs Cabonilas, the history-maker who won both regular season and Finals MVPs last March, will lead FEU-Diliman’s “three-peat” bid alongside Marc Burgos, JB Cagurungan, Sam Hall, and Adrian Alabagan.

The NU-Nazareth School Bullpups, looking to avenge their 5-on-5 loss to the Baby Tamaraws, will be composed of Kurl Figueroa, Miekho Natinga, Chad Cartel, Sofiane Bouzina, and Rhon-J Matias.

The Junior Growling Tigresses, meanwhile, like their seniors, are eyeing a “golden double” with Lea Pinuela, Katrina Insoy, Jesabel Anacan, Janice Oczon, and Sofia Petalcorin.

The Lady Bullpups, fielding Aubrey Lapasaran, Zaydhen Rosano, Ruiza Olmos, Queennie Cordero, and KJ Badajos, will look to spoil that bid.

In the 16-and-under division, 15-year-old reigning MVP Sky Jazul will lead Ateneo High School’s back-to-back title pursuit.

The elimination round runs from April 27 to May 2, with a break on April 29. The knockout stage will be held on May 3.

Manila set for 3x3 return with FIBA Challenger

3x3 Manila Challenger

A spot in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2025 Season Macau Masters will be up for grabs as the Philippines plays hosts to the Manila Challenger on September 20 and 21 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Some of the world’s top 3x3 players will see action in Manila representing 16 teams including World Number 1 and 2 Strahinja Stojacic and Marko Brankovic, who will team up representing Ub of Serbia. They will be joined by Nenad Nerandzic and Nemanja Barac, no pushovers themselves as they are ranked 5th and 8th in the world.

“The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is elated to be given the opportunity to host this event,” said President Al Panlilio. 

“The SBP has hosted many 3x3 events in the past including the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup and our fans are very familiar with the game so it should make for a great atmosphere. It’s an Olympic sport so we need to keep investing in 3x3 with the hopes of making it to that stage in the near future. Hosting the Manila Challenger helps in two ways because it allows our players and the federation to get much needed points for the rankings while also allowing our athletes to test themselves against the world’s best.”

The SBP has exerted efforts to bring this event closer to the Filipino people, giving them the opportunity to witness firsthand the best players in the world while also cheering for the Filipino teams proudly representing the country.

Two of the biggest names in the sport will also be seeing action in Karlis Lasmanis and Nauris Miezis, the 2020 Olympic gold medalists from Latvia. The two have done everything there is to accomplish in 3x3 and are now playing for China’s Chongming. The two 3x3 superstars will team up with China’s top two bets in Xiang Zhi Chao and Zhang Dian Lang.

The rest of the international field includes Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Hangzhou (China), Skyliners (Germany), Utrecht (Netherlands), Lugano (Switzerland), Taipei, Seef (Bahrain), Shanghai (China), SG Marina Bay (Singapore), Singapore, and East Jakarta (Indonesia).

“The SBP will be welcoming outstanding 3x3 players so that competition will be top level,” said Executive Director Erika Dy. “For the SBP, it’s an opportunity to show we’re more than capable in hosting a Challenger with the hopes of hosting a Masters level competition in the future. We’re excited to showcase our Filipino talents as well and see how well they can compete at this level.”

Three teams will represent the Philippines in Mandaluyong, Cavite, and Manila. Mandaluyong will be led by high-scoring guards Jeff Manday and Joseph Sedurifa while Mac Tallo is expected to make his long awaited return to FIBA 3x3 action for Manila.

This is supported by SBP's partners Smart, Arena Plus, B'lue Water, and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Pilipinas United 3x3 League set to launch this weekend

IT’S going to be an open race to the top come the inaugural Pilipinas United 3x3 League (PUL) this weekend at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Twelve teams will duke it out in the men’s division, while eight squads will play in the women’s division as they take the halfcourt by storm.

“Passion fuels every drive, every shot, every hustle, while purpose brings us together to create new avenues for athletes to unite communities and to push Philippine basketball to even greater heights,” said PUL commissioner Eric Altamirano on Monday.

Celebrity David Licauco’s Taho Story A, powerhouse Half Court Group (Hoopjeep), Sidney Onwubere’s YouGuard, and dunker David Carlos’ Activate Sports spearhead the local teams in the men’s side alongside AMG Physical Therapy Clinic, Smile 360 Dental Clinic, Solaris, and Taho Story B.

They will take on a tough international field which includes Ninja Airs and SBB from Japan, Dame Dolla of Vietnam, and Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia.

At stake is the USD 5,000 cash prize with the champion also earning a ticket to the Fiba 3x3 Kaohsiung Challenger in October, while the top local team will get a spot in the Fiba 3x3 Manila Challenger spot in September.

Two-time UAAP MVP Kacey dela Rosa will carry the torch for Gilas Pilipinas Women U23 as they will be joined by top local clubs Uratex Dream and Pilipinas Aguilas in the women’s division of this tilt which has Home Court, Seda Manila Bay, Smart Sports, Solar Sports, Molten, Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, Nueva Ecija D’Generals, Accelerated Wellness, Vision Media, and Skyworth as sponsors, and is endorsed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Rounding out the field for the women’s division are Japan’s Maurice Lacroix, Malaysia’s Harimau Black and Yellow, Vietnam’s Hanoi 3x3 By Amigos, and Singapore's Jumpshot as they fight for the USD 3,000 cash prize.

Fans can watch the games on PusoP.com and Solar Sports on digital free TV channel 21 in Mega Manila, Cablelink Channel 58 and Sky Cable Channel 70 in NCR and in over 200 PayTV Operators nationwide.

SBP partners with SGA to Support its 3x3 Women teams

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas x Strong Group Athletics

Seeking to continue its progress in women's 3x3 basketball, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas have entered into a partnership with sports patron Strong Group Athletics.

Sealed last week, the SBP-SGA partnership sees the latter help with regards to preparations towards the Gilas Women's 3x3 competitions later this year, both in the senior and U23 levels.

Executive Director Erika Dy says of the partnership, "We’re happy for the support of Strong Group Athletics. They’ve been an ally in promoting and supporting women’s sports and we’re looking forward to providing our Filipina ballers the training and competition they need to reach their full potential."

From SGA's perspective, President Jacob Lao shares, "At Strong Group Athletics, we believe in the power of collaboration to elevate Philippine basketball. Partnering with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is a step towards fostering growth at every level—developing young talent, supporting our national teams, and strengthening the foundation of the sport we love."

The former Ateneo student-athlete adds, "Strong Group is fully committed to this cause, supporting the SBP in its mission, including helping women's basketball reach greater heights with the ultimate goal of making it to the Olympics."

With an eye towards the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup and the Southeast Asian Games, Gilas Women are coming off two podium finishes in recent competitions.

The quartet of Mikka Cacho, Camille Clarin, Jhazmin Joson, and Hazelle Yam, they made it to the semifinals of the third edition of Manila Hustle 3x3. Kaye Pingol, who was playing for her club side Uratex Dream in this competition, replaced Yam for the Season 2 edition of Jumpshot 3x3 in Singapore.

Cacho, Clarin, Joson, and Pingol are slated to be the Gilas Women quartet slated to participate in the Got Game 3x3 competitions scheduled this weekend at the UP Community Court.

As for the U23 team, who also competed in Manila Hustle and earned an eleventh place finish, they are slated to participation in the 2025 edition of the FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League in a couple of months.

Titans, ZOOS Tokyo claim remaining Manila Hustle automatic quarterfinal seats

c/o Manila Hustle

TITANS marched on to the quarterfinals of Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 after going unblemished in pool play Saturday at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Last year’s runner-up was all business in Pool C as the quartet of Supavadee Kunchuan, Lina Nakazawa, Trina Guytingco, and Stefanie Berberabe dominated their group, earning wins over Royals Basketball (15-7), Uratex Tibay (21-15), and Tokyo BB (21-16).

With the victory, Titans now lie in wait for the winner of the qualification to the quarterfinal between Dinoman Hansol and Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 Women in this tilt co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

Gilas settled for the third seed in Pool D due to inferior points scored even if they took down defending champion Zoos Tokyo, 21-19, in overtime and fended off Harimau Malaysia, 16-10, in the nightcap.

Jhaz Joson delivered the booming deuce in front of a capacity crowd to inflict the first defeat to the Japanese club.

Still, Zoos Tokyo ended up on top of the group after a three-way tie for first with Panthers 3x3 and Gilas Women with their identical 2-1 records, as the squad led by world no. 55 Ama Degbeon earned the final outright quarterfinal seat and will meet the victor of the clash between Uratex Tibay and Jumpshot.

Meanwhile, Pool B top seed Uratex Dream will face the winner of the Panthers 3x3 and Gilas Women 3x3 U23, while XD await the survivor of the Tokyo BB-Shoot It Dragons clash in this tourney which has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, Senka, and Laurin.

At stake is the USD4,000 cash prize and an invite to the WKBL Triple Jam later this year. The runner-up will take home USD2,500 and the third placer USD1,500.

Games will still be livestreamed on the Manila Hustle 3x3 Facebook page, as well as on the Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas pages.

Uratex Dream, XD secure automatic Manila Hustle quarterfinal spots

c/o Manila Hustle

URATEX Dream and XD were the first two teams to book quarterfinal spots in Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 after topping their respective pools during the early portion of preliminary action Saturday at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Kaye Pingol, the country’s top-ranked women’s 3x3 player, guided the Dream to a perfect 3-0 run in Pool B to earn the outright ticket to the final eight.

She was unstoppable in their 18-10 rout of New Zealand Creamery before hurdling Shoot It Dragons, 21-17, and a dominant 21-12 win over Jumpshot Singapore in this tourney co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

“Yung Dream talaga ngayon is sobrang mature. Marunong na kami mag-close out ng games and alam na namin kung paano mag-adjust para makuha pa rin yung panalo,” said Pingol, who linked up with Afril Bernardino, Sam Harada, and Chinese center Li Renzhu in the undefeated stretch.

XD of Japan also did the same feat after going spotless in Pool A, including a thrilling 21-19 overtime win over Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 U23.

Momoko Saito scored the last four points for the Japanese crew, including the OT-forcing drive in the final 10 seconds to stun their younger foes.

XD earlier flaunted its muscle with a 21-7 mugging of Army Altama before an 18-11 nipping of Dinoman Hansol of Korea.

Making it through to the qualification to the quarterfinals are Dinoman Hansol (2-1) and Gilas Womens 3x3 U23 (1-2) from Pool A, as well as Jumpshot (2-1) and Shoot It Dragons (1-2) from Pool B.

Army Altama and New Zealand Creamery, both winless in their respective pools, have been eliminated from the Philippine women’s 3x3 international invitational which also has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, Senka, and Laurin.

The afternoon session, which features teams from Pool C and Pool D, are still playing their group stage games as of press time.

ZOOS set for Manila Hustle title defense

Ama Degbeon

AOI Katsura is still confident in Zoos Tokyo’s chances to defend their Manila Hustle 3x3 throne even if she’s not with the team.

The Season 2 Most Outstanding Player-turned-team owner understands the enormous pressure that falls on the shoulders of her team, but is nonetheless excited to see the Japanese club rise to the occasion.

“It’s going to be a challenging task but at the same time, I have full confidence in their great potential—both as individual players and as a team—so anything is possible. I believe they are the ones who will make it happen,” she said ahead of their title retention bid in this tourney co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

World no. 55 Ama Degbeon is the lone holdover from last year’s unit as she will be joined by Japanese under-23 standouts Fatoumanana Nishi, Maya Tahira, and Miran Kikuchi.

This, Katsura said, is by design, saying that the project was “to provide various opportunities for future players.”

But that doesn’t mean that Zoos Tokyo is going to be a pushover this year.

Degbeon, for her part, is hungry to show that she can still lead the team to the top in this tilt which also has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, Senka, and Laurin.

“Of course, it’s a big motivation to repeat as champions, but more than anything, we want to focus on giving our all in every game and the goal is always to win,” said the German forward.

Zoos, however, has its work cut out for it as it finds itself in a tough Pool D together with Gilas Women 3x3, Panthers 3x3 of Spain, and Harimau Malaysia.

The winner of the Philippine 3x3 women's international invitational will take home the USD4,000 cash prize and an invite to the WKBL Triple Jam later this year.

Philippines vs Rest of the World in third edition of Manila Hustle 3x3

Smart Sports First Vice President and Head of Sports Jude Turcuato, Manila Hustle 3x3 tournament director Peachy Cheng-Medina, and SBP executive director Erika Dy. Photo from Manila Hustle 3x3

CAN the Filipino teams reclaim the crown and defend the home court?

That’s going to be the biggest challenge for the seven local teams in the Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 this weekend at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Leading the charge will be the two national teams, Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 Women and Gilas Pilipinas U23 3x3 Women, as they try to rule the 16-team field in this tilt co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

Jhazmin Joson, Camille Clarin, Mikka Cacho, and Hazelle Yam will be the quartet for the seniors team while Season 1 MVP Kacey dela Rosa will backstop the under-23 crew together with Tine Cayabyab, Cielo Pagdulagan, and Elaine Etang.

Titans, last year’s runner-up, is also back in the fold with Stefanie Berberabe joining the trio of Trina Guytingco, Thai star Bo Supavadee, and Japanese beanpole Lina Nakazawa.

Also feeling the pressure is the country’s top-ranked 3x3 player Kaye Pingol who will lead Uratex Dream together with Afril Bernardino, Sam Harada, and Chinese center Li Renzhu.

But for the former National U standout, having this chip on their shoulder is natural.

“Alam namin kung gaano kabigat yung kalaban this season kaya determined kami, hindi lang yung Dream kung hindi lahat ng Filipino teams, na makapagpakita at manalo,” she said.

Aside from the four, also ready to defend our shores are Army Altama, New Zealand Creamery, and Uratex Tibay.

But it won’t be easy, especially with a bumper crop field out to conquer the half court led by Paris Olympian and world no. 22 Kacie Bosch of Panthers 3x3 from Spain and world no. 55 Ama Degbeon of defending champion Zoos Tokyo.

Panthers emerge as the dark horse in the tourney, not just with Bosch but also Fiba 3x3 Women’s Series veterans Ari Geli, Saicha Grant-Allen, and Christina Buttenham.

Zoos, however, believes that the biggest target is still on its back, with Degbeon still on the lead sans last year’s Most Outstanding Player Aoi Katsura.

Rounding out this season’s casts are Tokyo BB and XD from Japan, Dinoman Hansol of Korea, Royals Basketball of Australia, Jumpshot of Singapore, Shoot It Dragons of Thailand, and Harimau Malaysia.

Competition starts at 10 a.m. with teams playing in a single round robin in four groups of four. The top-seeds will earn an automatic quarterfinal berth while the second and third-place teams fighting in the wildcard of this tourney which also has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, Senka, and Laurin.

At stake in the Philippine 3x3 women’s international invitational is the USD4,000 cash prize and an invitation to the WKBL Triple Jam later this year, with the runner-up bagging USD2,500 and the third placer USD1,500.

Games will be livestreamed on the Manila Hustle 3x3 Facebook page, as well as on the Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas pages.

Manila Hustle set for third season

A few of the Manila Hustle 3x3 participants with Peachy Medina, Jude Turcuato, and Erika Dy

ZOOS Tokyo looks to attempt to defend their title when the third edition of the Manila Hustle 3x3 this weekend.

The third edition of the competition co-presented by Uratex, SMART, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas sees fifteen other teams try to topple the Japanese quartet at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

However, this edition of ZOOS will be quite different, with only Ama Degbeon returning. Team owner and incumbent MVP Aoi Katsura is sidelined this time around, but aside from the 55th-ranked Ama, the 219th-ranked Maya Tahira is set to participate, alongside Miran Kikuchi and Fatoumanana Nishi.

They also have slotted into Pool D, where they will face off in the prelims against Gilas Women 3x3, Panthers 3x3, and Harimau Malaysia.

Gilas Women are looking to kickstart their year off the right note with the Ateneo duo of Jhazmin Joson, Hazelle Yam joining forces with two of the brightest from National University in Mikka Cacho and Camille Clarin.

Spanish basketball sensation Ari Geli leads the Barcelona-based Panthers, which will also have the 22nd-ranked Kacie Bosch in her corner.

Seeking to bounce back after losing in the finals is Titans, who are slotted into Pool C with Uratex Tibay, Tokyo BB Japan, and Royals Basketball Australia.

Titans managed to make it that far in spite of losing Trina Guytingco due to injury in their first matchup. She's back again this time, alongside Bo Supavadee and Lina Nakazawa. Replacing Jhaz for this quartet is Stef Berberabe.

In Group A, Gilas Women U23 leads the pack, with inaugural MVP Kacey dela Rosa teaming up with fellow UAAP standouts Cielo Pagdulagan, Tin Cayabyab, and Elaine Etang. Serving as challengers to the youngsters are an Army Altama side led by Gilas Women shooter Janine Pontejos, Korean side Dinoman Hansol, and Japanese squad XD.

Rounding out the field is Pool B, where Uratex Dream leads the charge. Gilas Women stalwart Afril Bernardino and the top-ranked Filipina in the 3x3 scene Kaye Pingol take charge. Serving as their foil are local side New Zealand Creamery, Jumpshot Singapore, and Thai quartet Shoot It Dragons.

Format follows standard guidelines set by FIBA 3x3, with the top team of each pool advancing to the semifinals, with the second and third-place teams having to face off to earn their way into the final eight in this two-day competition.

The champion takes home US $4,000 and an invitation to participate in the WKBL 3x3 tournament later this year. The runner-up bags US $2,500, while the third placer nets US $1,500.

Complementing the basketball action for this two-day event is a performance from the StreetQueens on Saturday and a Slam Dunk contest between David Carlos, Aldous Torculas, and Ashon Andrews, with DJ Bigboy Cheng, Alyssa Valdez, and Jared Dillinger serving as judges.

No action will be missed with the festivities being streamed not only on the tournament's page on Facebook, but also on SMART Sports and Puso Pilipinas.

Joson ready to claim the moment at Manila Hustle

c/o FIBA

Same objective, different circumstances.

Jhazmin Joson seeks to secure a championship at the upcoming third edition of the Manila Hustle 3x3 tournament.

Having reached the championship game last year with Titans, the Ateneo alumna has been tapped to be a key figure for Gilas Women in this competition, which will take place on February 8-9 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

The national team lost all three of its matches in last year's edition to finish in 13th place, using the competition as a starting point that saw them participate in the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series this past season.

Armed with that experience, the Gilas Women quartet looks ready to make improvements in the upcoming invitational, which is co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. Aside from Jhazmin, they also tapped Hazelle Yam from Discovery Perlas to join forces with holdovers Camille Clarin and Mikka Cacho.

Jozon shares, "I’m very motivated. I feel like being on a different team will give me so much fire because I’ve been playing with these girls for a while now."

She adds about their overseas work, "Experiencing that level of competition for sure will definitely help us out."

The Los Angeles native also notes, "Everyone came from a different background in college, but since we’ve known and played together for a year, we have a feel of how the system is. We are more familiar with our roles and how we can make each other better and how to play together."

In sharing what stands out for this Gilas Women quartet, Jozon says, "What makes us different is our grit, that we go beyond our reach because we have what it takes. We definitely go beyond what is asked."

And with regards to what the opposition will be seeing from this unit, she highlights, "So expect us to fight every second of the game and expect us that it won’t be easy to go against us."

Gilas Women will be one of seven local teams seeking to dethrone defending champions ZOOS in this tournament, hich has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, and Laurin.

Gilas Women set to participate in third Manila Hustle 3x3

c/o Manila Hustle 3x3

Sixteen teams are set to participate in the 2025 edition of Manila Hustle 3x3, which will take place on February 8-9 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Almost half of the teams will be local, with some of these squads having members of Gilas Women involved.

The national team will have representation in the competition, which is co-presented by Uratex, SMART, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, as it will field a quartet led by Camille Clarin and Jhaz Joson. At the same time, they are also fielding a U23 team.

Top-ranked Filipina Kaye Pingol will join forces with Afril Bernardino to lead Uratex Dream, while Trina Guytingco is ready to bounce back with Titans alongside newcomer Stef Berberabe.

The Ateneo alumna suffered an injury during the competition last year, with the remaining trio of Joson, Thai star Supavadee Kunchuan, and Japanese Lina Nakazawa going all the way to the final.

Janine Pontejos will take charge for Army Altama, with the New Zealand Blue Fire and Uratex Tibay completing the local field.

Defending champions ZOOS Tokyo comprises the foreign contingent in the two-day tournament, which is also supported by TITAN as an official partner, alongside Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, and Laurin.

The champion will not only receive US $4,000, but also a chance to fly to Korea and participate in the WKBL 3x3 tournament.

Second place nets US $2,500, while the third placer secures US $1,000.

Uratex earns runner-up finish at Red Bull Half Court tourney

c/o Uratex Dream

URATEX Dream defied the odds and reached the Red Bull Half Court World Final before falling to Tokyo Verdy of Japan, 11-8, in the championship at Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York early Monday (Manila time).

The quartet of Kaye Pingol, Afril Bernardino, Sam Harada, and Eunique Chan turned heads in the Big Apple as they cut their opposition down to size to make the spirited run to the final two of the women’s division.

“Super proud ako sa pinakita nila. The only thing that matters is seeing my teammates’ effort and sacrifice their bodies in the game, that’s already a win for me,” said Bernardino of the Dream’s runner-up finish in the 10-team field.

It was a valiant performance for the Philippine club which reasserted its position as the best women’s 3x3 team in the country.

Uratex finished second in pool play with its 3-1 win-loss slate, including thrilling victories against Not Fast but Furious (Australia), 9-8, and Team SLAM (United States) in overtime, 12-10. The Dream suffered a tight 15-13 loss to Evolve (Kuwait), but bounced back with a 14-9 conquest of Amigos (Egypt).

The Filipinos also hurdled the taller Prykarpattya squad of Ukraine, 9-7, in the quarterfinals, before continuing their dream run with a slim 6-5 triumph over Belgium’s On Fire in the semis to book their spot in the finals.

“We’re very happy with this achievement. It’s a testament to the success of the partnership between our program and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP),” said team owner Peachy Medina. “Malaking bagay na reinvigorated yung programs para sa women’s basketball and it gave us plenty of exposure on the international stage. It’s really the ultimate collaboration.”

This also eclipsed Uratex’s performance last year in Belgrade, Serbia where the dream made it to the quarterfinals behind Pingol, Harada, Mikka Cacho and Blanche Bahuyan.

Uratex Dream will now shift their focus in preparing for the Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 set on February 8 and 9 next year.

Meanwhile, Half Court Group, made up of Matt Salem, Chester Saldua, Gryann Mendoza, and Jordan Bartlett, missed out on reaching the playoff in the men’s division.

Taho Story 3x3 claims title in third stop of Yunnan 3x3 circuit

TAHO Story 3x3 hoisted the country’s flag high and proud after ruling the 2024 Yunnan 3X3 Circuit-Dehong Stop 3 on Sunday.

The quartet of Louie Vigil, Mikey Macaballug and American imports Marcus Hammonds and Billy Baptist ran roughshod over the 16-team field as they emerged as the champions in China.

The Filipino club topped Pool A after winning two of their three games to earn a top seed in the knockout phase.

They would then scrape past Yan G D12 of Hong Kong, 21-17, in the round of 16; and followed that up by blasting Gwangju Dinoman of Korea, 22-10, in the quarterfinals.

Taho Story put themselves at the cusp by avenging its pool play defeat to Ares BKK of Thailand in the semifinals, 19-18.

And when the lights were at their brightest, eventual MVP Hammonds took Taho Story home with a 21-11 triumph over Kuala Lumpur in the championship game.

It’s a fitting encore for the new club which won Leg 1 of the Half Court 3x3 tournament last week.

Banh Mi Kitchen, the other Filipino team in the tilt made up of Fil-Aussie Richard Popovic, Chris de Chavez, and imports Brandon Daughtry and Kurt Hall Jr., reached the quarters before falling to runner-up Kuala Lumpur, 21-20.

Molten Philippines forges partnership with SBP for 3x3

SONAK, the official distributor of Molten in the Philippines, and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) today announced a landmark partnership for the ongoing SBP 3×3 Pambansang Tatluhan 2024, further solidifying their commitment to the growth and development of basketball in the Philippines. The contract signing ceremony took place at the SBP Office Launchpad Building in Mandaluyong, with Ms. Ishina Buxani, Marketing Director of SONAK and Erika Dy, SBP Executive Director.

Co-presented by Molten Philippines, the SBP 3×3 Pambansang Tatluhan is a nationwide 3×3 basketball tournament which is a grassroot program designed to develop young Filipino basketball event and aimed at promoting the sport and discovering new talent across the country. Molten Philippines, a leading global provider of sports equipment, will supply the official balls and other sports equipment for the tournament, including the innovative Molten B+ game unit. The Molten B+ is a new, movable, and easy-to-setup basketball court that will bring the excitement of 3×3 basketball which will be installed at SM North EDSA during the final games, ensuring a high-quality and competitive experience for all participants.

The tournament will culminate in a thrilling National Finals, where the winners of regional qualifiers will battle for the championship title. The National Finals will take place on August 10-11, 2024, at SM North EDSA, The Block – Atrium in Quezon City.

"We are honored to partner with SBP for the SBP 3×3 Pambansang Tatluhan," said Ms. Buxani. "This partnership underscores our shared passion for basketball and our dedication to supporting its growth at all levels. We believe that this tournament will provide a valuable platform for aspiring basketball players to showcase their skills and pursue their dreams."

Dy, SBP Executive Director, added, "We are grateful to SONAK (Molten Philippines) for their support of the SBP 3×3 Pambansang Tatluhan. Their commitment to providing top-quality equipment will undoubtedly enhance the overall experience for our athletes. We look forward to a successful tournament and the continued growth of 3×3 basketball in the Philippines."

SBP forms alliance with Uratex Dream for FIBA Women’s Series debut of Gilas Women

c/o SBP

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is taking a solid step to boost our chances in qualifying for 3x3 basketball in the Olympics.

The NSA has formalized a partnership with club side Uratex Dream in a move to help improve its FIBA 3x3 ranking.

SBP Executive Director Erika Dy shares, "Federation ranking is almost everything in the 3x3 universe. The more high-level events you join, the more points you earn."

She adds, "This partnership allows us to join up to 10 stops of the Women’s Series which could improve our ranking by more than 10 spots by the end of the season."

Unlike 5x5, 3x3 uses its rankings to help determine not just its Olympic participants, but also its field in its major national team competitions like the World Cup. Asian rival China, for instance, locked in its berth to Paris by November 2023 thanks to its ranking strength in both men and women.

Dy also notes that SBP President Al S. Panlilio has given his blessing towards this route to Los Angeles in 2028. "SBP president Al has always pushed for the growth of 3x3 as he firmly believes the Philippines should be competing at the Olympic level," she says.

Dream owner Peachy Medina is set to provide Gilas Women with financial and personnel resources. 

Anton Altamirano will collaborate with Dream coach Kat Quimpo on finding ways that the Philippines can maximize points on the scheduled Women's Series legs, with the 2024 edition having started already a few weeks ago in Springfield. Anton has experience navigating the FIBA 3x3 experience, having coached at the Challenger and 3x3 World Tour circuit.

He says about this partnership, "We are very thankful to the efforts of SBP headed by our executive director Ms Erika Dy and with the partnership of Uratex Dream; we are joining the Women’s series for the very first time."

Anton also adds, "This is a very good development and it will help us in boosting our federation rankings in our ultimate goal of the 2028 Olympics. Every step is important and this is definitely one of the first steps towards the main goal."

Women's basketball advocate Medina is very much thrilled to have this partnership. "I am very grateful to SBP for making this happen. This is indeed a giant leap for Philippine women’s basketball," she says.

Quimpo, on the other hand, is ecstatic about this development. The former Ateneo mentor says, "SBP's decision to join the FIBA WS is a testament of how invested the federation is in the development of women's basketball in the country and how far we have come to confidently compete against the world's best teams." 

There are eighteen more legs scheduled in the tour, with the next one coming at the end of the month in Marseille.

Set to be the initial pool of candidates for the WS Tour are Gilas Women stalwarts Camille Clarin, Mikka Cacho, and Angel Surada, with 3x3 standouts Hazelle Yam, Allana Lim, and Sam Harada. Completing the group is the top-ranked 3x3 Filipina in Kaye Pingol and Tantoy Ferrer, who is fresh from helping the University of Santo Tomas claim both 3x3 and 5x5 titles in the UAAP.

Gilas Women seeks strong finish at FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup

The Philippines seeks to secure a strong finish at the 2024 edition of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup on Sunday inside the Singapore Sports Hub.

Gilas Women has won all five of their assignments so far. They survived qualifying with victories over Tahiti (21-3), Maldives (19-11), and Kazakhstan (21-12) to earn a spot in pool play, where they took care of business against Mongolia and Malaysia.

Jhazmin Joson got hot from deep against the former, finishing up with eleven points anchored on four two-point buckets, in a 19-8 win.

Gilas Women scored the first five points of the match and never looked back, erecting a 10-3 lead with five minutes left, raising it to 17-7 after a Kaye Pingol two-pointer with 126 seconds left. A free throw from Joson capped the score for the Filipinas with thirteen seconds left.

As for the latter, they followed a similar playbook. They racked up a 5-1 lead on their way to a 17-10 triumph. This time, it was a balanced scoring effort. Joson still led the quartet with six points, but both Mikka Cacho and Pingol netted four each, with Clarin scoring the remaining three points. The National University standout also added six rebounds in the effort.

Although they misfired from deep against their ASEAN neighbors with their 1/7 performance behind the arc, Gilas Women made up for it with their effort inside, going 15/26. They also made it difficult for their opposition, forcing thirteen turnovers.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas program chief for 3x3 Eric Altamirano says about Gilas Women's success so far and what lies ahead, "We’re thrilled with our victories against the tough and experienced teams from Mongolia and Malaysia. Now, our focus shifts to Chinese Taipei, who put up a strong fight against China in the main draw. It’s time to maintain our focus and give it our all in the upcoming match in the quarterfinals."

Gilas Women assistant coach Mark Solano shares about the team getting extra motivation in their opening pool play matchup against Mongolia, "When we were preparing for our game vs the Mongolians, the (PH) ladies were all pumped up especially when they learned that there are two Olympians on that team. It added fuel to their fire. Kaya nung pag-check ball pa lang and we blazed into a 5-0 start, the ladies never looked back. Doon nagulat din ang Mongolia with our speed, toughness and yung pagiging pesky natin sa defense. Sobrang big factor din that we are making our 2-pt shots."

Solano adds, "During the Malaysia game, we knew them already kasi we had a lot of tune-ups with them when they went to Manila."

Things will now be different as they enter into the knockout rounds, with Chinese-Taipei as their quarterfinal opponent at 110pm. The team managed to extend China into overtime during pool play, falling short, 9-11, after leading by 8-6 late.

They did manage to earn their spot into the next round with an 18-8 victory over hosts Singapore.

Solano shares about that matchup, "As we prepare for Chinese Taipei, we told the ladies to just stick to what we are doing, the process of what we are doing. We’re going to have some adjustments kaya non-stop scouting kami ng mga coaches."

A chance to play two more games beckons for the winner of the quarterfinals matchup, with the winner of the matchup between Japan and New Zealand waiting in the wings later in the day.

Matches can be streamed through the FIBA 3x3 YouTube account, as well as through Pilipinas Live.

Final Rematch highlights Day 1 of Manila Hustle 3x3

Mikka Cacho, Monique del Carmen, Manila Hustle 3x3 tournament director Peachy Medina, Camille Clarin, and Tin Cayabyab.

Manila Hustle 3x3 is set to commence this weekend, starting off with Pool Play on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

One of the highlights of Day 1 sees last year's finalists grouped together in Pool C, as Gilas Pilipinas Women and Army Altama square off at 330pm to kickstart their respective stints.

As the Lady Macbeth Riots, they claimed the inaugural title behind the shoulders of eventual Most Valuable Player Kacey dela Rosa, 21-11.

This time around, Gilas Women will be fielding a brand new quartet, but chemistry will not be a problem with an all-National University crew of Mikka Cacho, Camille Clarin, Monique del Carmen, and Tin Cayabyab, as they build up a potential pool for future competitions.

Clarin shared during the pre-tournament press conference, "We're looking to build a good foundation based on players coming into the program and preparing for long-term tournaments."

Army still has Camille Sambile and Mar Prado backstopping their quartet, with Zoos Tokyo and Thai side Shoot It Dragons completing Pool C.

The lone returning player from the Riots has moved to another team, as Trina Guytingco leads Titans in Pool D. The Ateneo alumna is joined by fellow Blue Eagle Jhazmin Joson and a couple of foreign recruits in Supavadee "Bo" Kunchuan and Lina Nakazawa. Alongside them is the Kaye Pingol-led Uratex Dream, which has tapped Renzhu Li of China to help boost their campaign, last year's semifinalists Dinoman Hansol of Korea, and newcomers Royals Basketball from Australia.

Discovery Perlas banners Pool B, with a couple of former UAAP MVPs in Allana Lim and Grace Irebu serving as anchors. They are grouped alongside three debuting teams in Unicle from Korea, Owls.EXE from Japan, and Shiv Nadar School from India.

Kickstarting the action at 1030am is a couple of Pool A teams, with Tokyo Dime going up against Bluefire, which features La Salle women's basketball alumnae in Snow Penaranda and Ameng Torres. The other teams in Pool A are Jumpshot from Singapore and the second Uratex entrant in Tibay, which has enlisted Gilas Women standout Afril Bernardino and Spanish baller Ari Geli, who played for Zoos last year.

Opening Ceremonies for the two-day competition will take place at 10am, with all pool play matches slated at the venue on Saturday and the knockout rounds on Sunday.

The top team in each pool will advance straight to the quarterfinals, with the teams in second and third place will have to go through a last sixteen crossover knockout playoff to complete the field.

The champion gets $3,000 with the losing finalist snapping up $2,000 and the third place team $1,000.

Serving as partners for the Manila Hustle 3x3 presented by Uratex and SMART are the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (technical), SMART Sports and Puso Pilipinas (media), Seiko Prospex (timekeeper), and B'lue (hydration), with Titan, Wilson, Green Cross, Secret Fresh, BDO, Laurin CocoMCT, Peloton Workforce, Senka, Pinesbel Manufacturing, Tsubaki, IFern, Evercool Radiator, Home Suite Furniture, and Quality Corrugated Box Manufacturing, and Aquaflask as sponsors.

Fans will be able to watch the proceedings through the SMART Livestream app, as well as on the Facebook pages of Puso Pilipinas.

Bigger Manila Hustle 3x3 assured in return

Peachy Medina, Erika Dy, and Jude Turcuato with reps from the teams present at the press conference

The second edition of Manila Hustle 3x3 is bigger and better, team organizers promise during the press conference for the competition held at the Mall of Asia branch of Microtel by Wyndham.

Tournament director Peachy Medina shares, "We want everybody to be aware of how women's basketball has developed. We like everyone to see how it has progressed."

The first edition saw twelve teams participate at Robinsons' Magnolia facility last year, with the Lady Macbeth Riots claiming the title over Army Altama in the final.

Slated to take place this Saturday and Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, sixteen teams comprise the field, led a Gilas Women side seeking to build a core for the coming year in 3x3 basketball.

Present in the presser are a couple of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials in Executive Director Erika Dy and 3x3 program director Eric Altamirano. The NSA serves as the tournament's official technical partner.

Altamirano shares about the team's participation, "We wanted to use this tournament to evaluate the players in the pool and this gives us a chance to identify who can play in FIBA Asia Cup 3x3."

Dy, a noted advocate for women's basketball. adds about the tournament, "It's really when stakeholders come up with tournaments like this that contributes to the industry and that really elevates the game."

Aside from the SBP, serving as additional partners to the tournament presented by Uratex and SMART are Seiko Prospex as the official timekeeper, and B'lue for official hydration. Acting as sponsors are Titan, Wilson, Green Cross, Secret Fresh, BDO, Laurin CocoMCT, Peloton Workforce, Senka, Pinesbel Manufacturing, Tsubaki, IFern, Evercool Radiator, Home Suite Furniture, and Quality Corrugated Box Manufacturing, and Aquaflask.

Leading the local cast are losing finalists Army Altama, and Uratex, who has two teams in the field with the Kaye Pingol-led Dream and Afril Bernardino-led Tibay.

Nine teams from across the continent have confirmed participation, including Dinoman Hansol, who made it the semifinals. Japanese .EXE teams Tokyo Dime and Owls, as well as Zoos Tokyo are also seeking to spoil the local party as well.

Set to make their debuts are Unicle (Korea), Royals Basketball (Australia) and Shiv Nadar School (India), while representing ASEAN pride are Shoot It Dragons (Thailand) and Jumpshot (Singapore).

Fans interested to watch can do so through the SMART Livestream app, as well as through the Puso Pilipinas page on Facebook, with the latter and SMART Sports being Manila Hustle's media partners. Those watching at the venue can also partake of the fan zone set to be in place for the two-day tournament.