Fiba wants more 3-on-3s

We were extremely lucky to have an hour’s chat with  SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) executive director Sonny Barrios, guest of honor at the opening of the Philippine Basketball Marathon, played at the Meralco Gym this week.

The former PBA Commissioner said he had just  been  to exotic Istanbul to attend the Fiba World Congress, whose current  direction  is to propagate the sport  from the grassroots level.

“If you will notice, the Fiba has been hosting more three-on-three tournaments now. That’s because  they believe it’s a good vehicle  to promote basketball from the grassroots,” Barrios said.

Aside from being easier to organize, Sonny B said the Fiba feels this competition is ideal for out-of-school youths to keep them out of trouble. If the five-on-five is for the in-school youths, the Fiba believes the three-on-three is designed for those who are not in school.

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While James Naismith invented basketball, Sonny said it is very possible that the three-on-three originated or was invented  right here in the Philippines decades ago.

“We called it ‘Tatluhan’ and it was played in almost any street corner, basta may goal (as long as there is a goal), even if only improvised,” Sonny  said.

Just how serious the Fiba is about promoting the “new” version of the  game of  basketball  can be gleaned by the fact that they they are aggressively working to make it a regular Olympic event.

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Because of the overwhelming success of last year’s Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship which the Philippines hosted, Sonny happily announced that  we again won the bid to host  the Fiba Asia Pacific Three-on-Three competition which will be held in July, just before  the World Cup in Spain and the Asian Games in Korea.

SBP president Manny Pangilinan wanted to host the bigger Fiba World Three-on-Three Championship, but his advisers counseled him to test the waters  first with the Asia Pacific where 12 teams will compete.

Fiba obviously believes that basketball will become more popular globally if more three-on-three tournaments are staged all over the world.

Since this is an outdoor event, Sonny  said the July event will be held at the SM Mega Mall where admission will be free.

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HOOPVINE:  San Mig Coffee star James Yap is very  happy for  former spouse Kris Aquino who is reported to have found a new love. Life has been so much easier for the cager now that Kris is happy. Everybody’s saying that Kris’ new beau is Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, but James just hinted that he is a politician.