16 teams compete in Manila Hustle 3×3 tilt

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TO showcase women’s 3×3 basketball in the country, 16 teams from eight countries will vie in the Manila Hustle 3×3 Season 3 set this weekend, Feb. 8-9, at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Co-presented by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Uratex and Smart, the field will be led by the Gilas Women’s 3×3 squad and reigning champion Zoos Tokyo of Japan.

The 16 teams are divided into four pools with the preliminaries set on Saturday, with then quarterfinals, semifinals and championship set Sunday.

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“Season 3 will follow the same formula as Seasons 1 and 2, showcasing elite women’s basketball in a high-quality tournament. What will set Season 3 apart is that it’s happening in the midst of the tremendous rising popularity of women’s basketball in the past year. And with that, there are obviously more opportunities for women to play,” tournament director Peachy Cheng-Medina said during the launch of the event yesterday at the One Esplanade at TRYP Hotel by Wyndham Mall of Asia.

“Because of so many opportunities, there are so many opportunities for the women players to develop themselves, to hone their skills, to be more competitive so this Season 3 expect spectacular play,” she added.

Playing in Pool D, bannering the Gilas Women 3×3 in its redemption bid are Jhaz Joson, Camille Clarin, Mikka Cacho and Hazelle Yam while new-look Zoos Tokyo will have Miran Kikuchi, Maya Tahira, Fatoumanana Nishi and World no.55 Ama Degbeon as they seek back-to-back titles.

Pool A is composed of Philippine bets Army Altama and Gilas Women Under-23 3×3, Dinoman Hansol of South Korea, and Japanese squad XD while Pool B features Jumpshot Singapore, Philippines’ New Zealand Creamery, Thailand’s Shoot It Dragons’ and Uratex Dream of the Philippines.

Pool C is composed of the Philippines’ Uratex Tibay and Titans, Royals Basketball from New Zealand and Japan’s Tokyo BB while Spain’s Panthers 3×3 and Harimau Malaysia complete Pool D.

SBP executive director Erika Dy believes the potential of women’s basketball growth is limitless, reiterating that grassroots programs such as the Manila Hustle 3×3 can sharpen the 3×3 scene in the country.

“I guess I’m happy but not satisfied and I don’t say that because the standard is high but more because I really believe that the potential of women’s basketball is limitless and there’s so much that we can do especially in the grassroots,” said Dy.

“We did make a big jump forward from when we were last year but we’re still far, far away from where we want to be,” she added.

The two-day event will also feature a hip-hop dance on Day 1 while a Slam Dunk contest is set on Day 2, with David Carlos, Ashon Andrews and UP cager Aldous Torculas set to give the audience an electrifying dunk showdown.

Serving as judges in the Slam Dunk contest are PBA cager Jared Dillinger, volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez and DJ Bigboy Cheng.

Aside from the $4,000 cash prize, the winner of the Manila Hustle 3×3 Season 3 will book a spot in the WKBL 3×3 Triple Jam to be held later this year in Seoul, South Korea.

The runner-up and third placer will bring home $2,500 and $1,500, respectively.

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