PBA to introduce 3x3 tournament in 45th season

The PBA held its pre-season conference on Tuesday at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City. Present were PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and the PBA Board of Governors. The PBA will open their 45th season on March 8. (ZEKE ALONZO/GMA News)

In an effort to improve the country's world rankings in 3x3 basketball, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will introduce a 3x3 tournament in its 45th season.

The development was announced during the league's pre-season conference on Tuesday at the Conrad Hotel.

PBA Board Vice Chair and Columbian Dyip Governor Demosthenes Rosales said  aside from the twelve PBA teams, brands Mighty Bond and Dunkin Donuts will also field a team for the tournament.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President and Meralco Governor Al Panlilio is grateful that the PBA will push through with a 3x3 program. "If we want to be serious with 3x3, we make it a stand alone tournament," he said.

Panlilio also believes 3x3 is one sport where Filipinos can land a spot in the Olympics "If not in 2020, maybe in the next one (2024) in Paris," he added.

The development also follows the country's victory in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where PBA players CJ Perez, Jason Perkins, Mo Tautuaa, and Jason Perkins bagged the gold. The Philippine women's team also copped the gold in the biennial meet.

While there will be no draft for the 3x3 players, the teams have the option to choose who they want to field in for the tournament. However, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial clarified that 3x3 players can not automatically go up in the professional ranks.

The 3x3 games will be played during PBA play dates in Metro Manila.

The 45th season of the PBA will open on March 8, a week after its original schedule which was postponed due to the coronavirus threat. —NB, GMA News