Three Philippine teams face a stronger foreign field when the 2015 Fiba 3×3 World Tour Manila Masters unfolds this weekend at Robinsons Place Manila.
Manila West looks to defend its crown and two other local squads also target the title against nine foreign teams in the two-day event starting Saturday.
“We have tougher opponents this year,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios said in the PSA Forum Tuesday at Shakey’s Malate. “All the teams beefed up their lineup because we won the championship last year.”
Debuting in the Manila leg is the top-seeded Novi Sad Al Wahda of United Arab Emirates, which ruled the Prague leg last year before capturing the 2014 Fiba 3×3 World Tour championship.
But Manila West hopes familiarity works in the team’s favor as it aims for another title romp with the returning cast of PBA standouts Terrence Romeo, KG Canaleta, Rey Guevarra and Aldrech Ramos.
Manila North revamped its roster as PBA players Calvin Abueva and Vic Manuel team up this time with National University star Troy Rosario and Kia’s Karl Dehesa.
Cebuanos Joshua Sinclair, Lucky Ecarma, Jair Igna and Carlo Ortega will represent Manila South after ruling the Talk ‘N Text Tatluhan Tournament.
“This week, they’re all set to practice every day,” said Barrios.
Also seeing action are teams from Foshan, China; Kobe, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Beirut, Lebanon; Auckland, New Zealand; and Doha, Qatar.
The tournament finalists will advance to the Fiba 3×3 World Tour Final in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 15 and 16.
After topping last year’s edition, Manila West represented the country in the 2014 World Championship in Sendai, Japan, where it reached the quarterfinals.