HOOPS

Le P:LAB 3x3 starts dribbling

Mark Escarlote

Thrilling 3x3 basketball action featuring hundreds of teams from all over the country is set to explode with the staging of the Le P:LAB 3X3 Philippine Champions Cup.

The P2-million total prize pool competition, which is tentatively scheduled to begin in June, will have eight nationwide legs, each targeting up to 100 participating teams per stop.

Made possible through the collaboration between SBTown and the National Basketball League (NBL)-Pilipinas (NBL-Pilipinas), the competition aims to bring high-level 3x3 basketball action across the country.

“We hope this tournament will serve as a platform where young talents in the Philippines can pursue their dreams and where local communities can come together and connect through sports,” said Harim Nam, CEO of Le P:LAB, during the tournament’s press conference on Thursday at the Crowne Plaza.

The chief of Le P:LAB, healthcare and lifestyle product brand based on technology developed by the National Research Institute in Korea, was also joined by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) 3x3 program head Ryan Gregorio during the launch.

“3x3 now is an Olympic sport and what a good way from our friends from Le P:LAB and with the partnership with the group of Miss Rhose (Montreal) of NBL that you are able to do the things that we also love to do from the federations standpoint, which is to increase the enthusiasm in 3x3 basketball,” Gregorio said.

The top 16 teams from each leg will advance to the Sweet 16 round, where a knockout format will determine the teams progressing further.