Alaska Milk representative to the Philippine Basketball Association Board of Governors Richard Bachmann says the PBA will soon launch its 3×3 tournament.
The PBA 3×3 tournament, originally scheduled to be launched last April, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Bachmann, the committee chairman of the PBA 3×3 program, said a PBA 3×3 tournament will definitely push through.
“The PBA is serious with this project and we're leaving no stone unturned to make sure this program is conducted properly. I don't think we could get it going this year considering the situation. Possibly, we will be holding the PBA 3×3 tournament early next year," Bachman said in a published report.
The committee held its first online meeting last Thursday. Bachmann said the committee will meet once a week to finalize all the details of the program.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and deputy commissioner Eric Castro joined the discussion. The committee also includes NorthPort Batang Pier's Eric Arejola and Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters’ Atty. Raymond Zorilla.
PBA technical consultant Joey Guanio is the Project Director and SBP representative Ronnie Magsanoc is a consultant.
The 3×3 basketball is a format of the game played with three players a side (with one substitute) playing on one basketball hoop. According to a recent study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, 3×3 is the most widely played urban team sport in the world.
The PBA quartet of Moala Tautua, CJ Perez, Jason Perkins and Chris Newsome ruled the inaugural 3×3 event in the 2019 Southeast Asia Games in Manila.
Tautuaa and Perez were later named to the Gilas 3×3 team that will compete in the Olympic Qualifying Tourney.
Competition also includes an annual FIBA 3×3 World Tour, comprising a series of Masters and one Final tournament.