PBA looks to bring back women's 3x3 league

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial bared that the league is looking at the possibility of establishing a women's division anew in the 3x3 tournament.

The longtime sports official said he is currently in talks with unnamed sports personalities in hopes to bring back the women's three-a-side tournet, which was already staged seven years ago.

"May kausap ako three months ago [for] 3x3 na babae so nasa table pa," Marcial said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.

"'Yun din ang unang sinabi ko nung kakapasok ko pa lang, na mag-develop [ng liga] para sa mga babae kahit 3x3. So ongoing 'yung talks namin at sana matuloy kasi isa 'yun sa sinabi ko nung pumasok ako as a commissioner."

PBA had featured the women's 3x3 tilt in every conference of the 2015-2016 season, when all 12 active PBA clubs were allowed to field their respective 3x3 teams.

Blackwater Elite claimed the inaugural title in the Philippine Cup while NLEX captured the Governors' Cup title. GlobalPort (now NorthPort) then took home the last title during the Commissioner's Cup. Unfortunately, the league didn't return for a second season.

The PBA  unfurled the men's 3x3 tournament back in November 2021 and it already staged two seasons with TNT Triple Giga emerging as the Grand Slam winner in the second season. The 2023-2024 season is currently ongoing with Ginebra, TNT, and Cavitex claiming two leg titles each after the first conference.

Reviving the women's 3x3 league could also give avenue to country's top cagers such as Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, and Mikka Cacho, all of whom were part of the national team that delivered a silver medal in the 32nd SEA Games last May in Cambodia.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News