3×3 tourney boosts women’s hoops calendar

With crack foreign teams joining, the Manila Hustle 3×3, an invitational tournament that gets going this Feb. 4 at Robinsons Magnolia in Quezon City, is in a unique position to fill crucial gaps in the Philippine women’s basketball scene.

“I see a lot of talent but there’s a lack of opportunity to play at a very high level, especially after college whenever one graduates,” tournament director Peachy Medina, told the Inquirer on Thursday. “When we played in the WNBL (Women’s National Basketball League) and were eventually invited into two international leagues—in Indonesia and in Thailand—I saw its great effect on our players. It was such a great experience for them.” Six local crews and six more visiting clubs from Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan jockey for the $3,000 prize in the two-day derby.

“We’re a basketball country with half of our 110-million population being women, so there’s really an opportunity here,” Medina said during the kickoff presser at Summit Hotels in Greenhills. “To develop a sport … [you] have to ensure that development is happening from the grassroots level, to the high school and college levels. And then [there must be regular tournaments] after college.”

The local marquee attractions in the tournament are Kaye Pingol, the top 3×3 player in the land, along with fellow Gilas Pilipinas standouts Janine Pontejos, Chack Cabinbin, Trina Guytingco, Tina Deacon, Eunique Chan, and Khate Castillo.

And these stars will be tested.

Zoo’s Tokyo will be led by Japan’s top two 3×3 players—Aoi Katsura and Yuka Maeda. The other foreign teams joining are another Japan club, OWLS.EXE, Thailand’s Shoot it Dragons, Singapore’s Jumpshot, and South Korea’s G2L2 and 1EYEHANSOL.

Pingol and Deacon will star for Dream while Chan is set to banner Tibay—the two Medina-owned Uratex teams.

Pontejos leads Lady Macbeth, which will be coached by Gilas program director Pat Aquino, who will miss the services of France-bound Jack Danielle Animam.

Former UAAP Most Valuable Player and international veteran Allana Lim, meanwhile, leads a Discovery crew coached by the decorated coach Haydee Ong.