PBA's Marcial: "3X3 to Likely Open Next Season"

2020 is supposed to be the year the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) would have added another dimension to being Asia's first professional basketball league and the second oldest league in the world as this is the year the PBA 3x3 is supposed to open. Then, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shut everything else down including basketball in the country and abroad. While the PBA is still hanging onto its hopes that it can resume the 45th season of the league with an all-Filipino conference, the 3x3 tournament of the PBA will have to wait possibly until the league's 46th season. That is according to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial who yesterday said that Alaska Aces Governor Dickie Bachmann has already been named as chairman of the 3x3 committee. 

Joining Bachmann at the top of things are Eric Arejola of NorthPort, Raymond Zorilla of Phoenix, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio, and 3x3 national coach Ronnie Magsanoc. Set to serve as the program director of the PBA 3x3 is Joel Guanio. And while the PBA commissioner said that the 3x3 committee will convene for the first time this coming Thursday, Marcial hinted that the possibility of the 3x3 tournament opening this year won't be among the things that the said committee will be discussing as he added that fans will likely see the 3x3 tournament of the PBA to open next year. 

Originally scheduled to open last April, the PBA 3x3 is set to showcase 3x3 basketball between 12 existing PBA clubs plus two guest teams: Mighty Bond and Dunkin Donuts. Marcial said that if and when the league decides to open the 3x3 tournament next year, that will require another round of meetings involving the 14 teams and the committee. 

While 2020 is looking to be a forgettable year for Philippine sports in general, 2021 is already looking to be a big one for Philippine basketball with the addition of the PBA 3x3 into our daily dosage of basketball. 

Photo is from Team Pilipinas