3x3: PH set to host World Tour leg in May
MANILA, Philippines – After five years, the Philippines is set to host a World Tour leg once more.
FIBA 3x3 announced on Monday evening that Manila will be one of the hosts of 2020 FIBA 3x3 World Tour season, with the Chooks-toGo Manila Masters to take place on May 2-3 at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall.
This marks the third time that the country was awarded a leg. Manila also hosted the level-10 event in 2014 and 2015.
"Last year, 3x3 basketball once again entered the collective consciousness of the Filipino people," Chooks-toGo Pilipinas 3x3 league owner Ronald Mascariñas said in a statement.
"We had three conferences in our local league while also having two international tournaments here, namely the world's first-ever Super Quest
and the Manila Challenger," he added.
"We needed to continue that momentum and what better way to do so than hosting a World Tour Masters."
Expected to compete in the event are some of the world's best 3x3 clubs, including Liman, Novi Sad, Riga Ghetto, and NY Harlem.
Serving as the qualifier for local teams is the upcoming 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President's Cup which begins next month.
The ninth edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour will feature an all-time best 13 Masters, with the final set for Riyadh in November 2020. At stake in the tournament is a total of $2.8 million in prize money.
"2020 is a big year for 3x3, and we're excited to see our No. 1 competition – the FIBA 3x3 World Tour – continue to expand so quickly," said FIBA 3x3 managing director Alex Sanchez.
"We're proud to attract new amazing cities like Riyadh for the final and – at the same time – to return after many years to exceptional cities where World Tour history was made like Abu Dhabi and Manila," he added.
Launched in 2012, the yearly World Tour sees teams representing cities from around the world qualify for 13 Masters and a Final through a worldwide network
of qualifying tournaments, such as the Challengers, and via the FIBA 3x3 Team Ranking.
Five Masters will be held before July 25 when 3x3 will make its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
"For the fans, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour will be the best preview of our urban discipline at the Games," said Sanchez. "It will also be the ultimate preparation for the best 3x3 players in the world before the Olympics."
"In fact, we will arrive in Japan two weeks early, with the 5th Masters of the season in Utsunomiya, followed by a Pre-Olympic Acclimatization Camp for our best athletes to get used to the Japanese climate and deliver the best show possible to the fans."
The top 12 teams in the World Tour standings after the last Masters earn a ticket to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final. ABS-CBN News