PH to host 1st 3x3 Super Quest

The Philippines will host another major international 3x3 tournament. Nikki Collantes (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASIG — The Philippines’ last dash to the first-ever Olympic 3x3 basketball event got a huge boost as it will host the Chooks-To-Go FIBA 3x3 Asia-Pacific Super Quest.

Ronald Mascarinas, the president of Chooks-To-Go, the main presenter of the tournament, officially announced the development during a press conference at the Bar One inside Crowne Plaza on Tuesday night.

“This is the first time na in-offer ito ng FIBA,” Mascarinas said. “It’s really a special window given to the Philippines.”

The Super Quest will be the biggest event for a cagefest being played on a half court that the country will host since it hosted the FIBA 3x3 World Cup last year at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue.

The Super Quest, expected to be of bigger bearing than the FIBA 3x3 Quest tournaments, will pit two Philippine teams against some of the best 3x3 teams in the world.

“Most likely it would happen in April, right after the Chooks-To-Go 3x3 President’s Cup,” Eric Altamirano bared the possible schedule of the Super Quest.

Altamirano is the commissioner of the Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3, the first 3x3 league in the country.

The top two teams after the grand finals of the ongoing President’s Cup will qualify for the Super Quest, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour.

Bataan got to a great start in the President’s Cup by ruling the first leg on Saturday at the nearby SM Megamall Events Center in Mandaluyong, stunning preseason favorite Pasig in the final.

As per the former champion coach, the top three teams in the Super Quest will make it to the World Tour.

Just like the other tournaments, FIBA 3x3 World Ranking Points will be given to the teams depending on how they will perform.

It means that the better the ranking of the two Philippine teams in the Super Quest and the World Tour should they both qualify, the higher the points they can get and the better the chance for the Philippines to make the Olympics next year in Tokyo.

The Philippines is currently ranked 50th in the FIBA 3x3 men’s world ranking, way outside the Top 20.

The 20 countries with the most number of accumulated points per gender will earn a spot in the Olympic 3x3 event.

Japan, the host of the Olympics, is ranked fourth overall -- number one in Asia -- in the men’s ranking as of posting.

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