The 2018 Internationa Basketball Federation (Fiba) 3×3 World Cup is some five months away (June 8 to 12) before tip-off, yet the excitement already began last week during a presser at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Activity Center. Aside from the brass of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), Fiba 3×3 Managing Director Alex Sanchez was in town for the formal announcement of the event.
I got to speak to Sanchez briefly before he drove off to the Philippine Arena, site of the 3×3 tourney, and he expressed excitement and the fact the Philippines was giving 3×3 a different spin.
“I am told that this will be at the Philippine Arena, and that all the participating teams will be housed within the premises,” the Spaniard said. “The Philippines is also looking to break attendance records for 3×3 ball.”
According to SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios, Sanchez flew in just for the event, and he will return before the tournament proper tips-off. “That is the level of support and enthusiasm we have gotten from Mr. Sanchez, as well as Fiba,” said the hard working SBP boss.
The excitement has also spilled over to a few Philippine government officials.
During the celebrity 3×3 exhibition match at the BGC Activity Center that followed the news conference for the hosting of the 2018 Fiba 3×3 World Cup, Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva spoke with us about playing in his first 3×3 match wherein he played alongside fellow Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara and former national player Jimmy Alapag against the ESPN 5 team of Dominic Uy, Magoo Marjon and Eric Reyes.
I will say this…it’s more fun to hang out than to play with your PBA idols like Jimmy Alapag. Nakaka-star struck. At first, I got a little pressured because Jimmy passed to me, and you have to make that shot. But, during the course of game, I started to have more fun,” Villanueva used to play for the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and helped them win a pair of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) championships in 1994 and 1995.
“Good days and I am blessed to have those memories,” he added. “And, to have played and won in the UAAP—how many people can say that? I am lucky.”
Villanueva also represented the country in the first Seaba squad in 1994 as coached by Virgil Villavicencio.
“Dominic Uy was actually my teammate in the Youth team in 1994 at Rizal Memorial Coliseum…the ABC RP Youth,” Villanueva added. “A few months before the tournament, the ceiling for the ages of players participating in that tournament was dropped from 18 to 17, so I was cut. But, before that, we used to train at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and that was the last time I really “played.” Mark Telan, Allen Patrimonio and Ralph Rivera were the only ones who survived the cut because of the age. Dennis Lim, Rensy Bajar, Rodel Manuel and John Verayo were some of my teammates.”
“Playing in this exhibition match really brought back good memories. And, even for a bit, I have a new good memory,” he said.
Angara said, “Like the five-on-five version, three-on-three ball can be played anywhere. This is something Filipinos can excel in and I believe in that.”
Barrios also believes that, in 3×3 ball, Filipinos have a chance to more than make good memories. “We—even Fiba believes so—can win an Olympic Gold Medal here.”
“However, right now, when we host the 3×3 World Cup, we have three opportunities—we have a chance to also break 3×3 attendance records, we have a chance to take the hosting to a whole new level and we have a chance to win.”