By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
After a seven-year absence, the Women’s Philippine Basketball Association (WPBA) 3×3 professional hoops tournament is set for a grand comeback.
It was PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro who announced the major development and added that the inaugural conference will kick off this January 22, 2024.
Last 2016, the PBA already kicked off the first season of the WPBA 3×3 tournament but due to unknown circumstances, it only lasted for a year.
As of this writing, six teams will be vying for the crown in this year’s first conference including two Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squads.
Completing the debuting 3×3 cast are the Uratex Dream, Angeli’s Resort, Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force.
According to Mr. Castro, the WPBA 3×3 schedule will be held every Monday and Tuesday but the final venue is yet to be announced.
The PBA 3×3 committee is also looking to synch both the men’s and the women’s 3×3 schedules on the same playing day.
For the tournament format, the top four ranked teams after 15 games of the preliminary round will advance to the next stage.
A crossover, knockout semifinal round will then await the top four squads. The two emerging franchises will then earn an automatic berth to the WPBA 3×3 grand finals.
It is still unknown if more teams will grace the opening conference of the WPBA 3×3 aside from the six committed franchises.
