Your favorite professional players are back, but not on the hardcourt. The Philippine Basketball Association is offering its fans a new kind of experience with its latest project—the PBA 3-point Shootout Charity Virtual Tournament, which Commissioner Willie Marcial believes should draw interest from the league’s young fans, specifically those who are hooked on arcade games.
This tournament-for-a-cause features 24 players from the league’s 12-member ball clubs, who will battle each other using the mobile app game PBA Slam.
Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa and Scottie Thompson, SMB’s June Mar Fajardo and Von Pessumal, Paul Lee and Alvin Abundo of Magnolia lead the participants, who are vying for the top prize of P250,000. The amount goes to the charitable institution selected by the winning team.
Also entered in the tournament are Mike Digregorio and Robbie Herndon (Alaska), Diego Dario and Chris Bitoon (Blackwater), Roosvelt Adams and Bon Bon Battiler (Terra Firma), Philip Paniamogan and Kevin Ighalo (NLEX), Dave Marcelo and Justine Chua (Phoenix), Lervin Flores and Kib Montalbo (TNT), Rey Nambatac and Adrian Wong (ROS) Kevin Ferrer and Paolo Taha (NorthPort) and Baser Amer and Nard Pinto (Meralco).
The event launched last Aug. 28, is held during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Fans can catch it live on PBA Rush at 7p.m. and on http://www.pba.ph at 8 p.m.
Teams are divided into two groups of six. The elimination round pits players from the same team. They play four rounds with a time limit of 1:30 minute per round.
The winner of the challenge advances to the six team semifinals. Already qualified for the semis are Herndon, Thompson, Bitoon, Abundo and Ferrer.
The same process will be used in the semis with the three winners advancing to the finals.