The stakes just got higher in the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup.
Besides having a pot prize of P 1,000,000 for the champions and two tickets to the first-ever Asia-Pacific Super Quest for the top two placers, the champions of the first conference will gain an automatic berth to the FIBA 3X3 World Tour — the biggest 3×3 club tournament in the world.
And it’s because the International Basketball Federation has promoted Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 to Quest level.
“For the last three legs, all of you have shown the world what Filipino 3×3 basketball is all about,” said league owner Ronald Mascariñas during the opening of the 4th tour of the league, Saturday.
“Each and every one of you have poured your blood, sweat, and tears in trying to prove to the world that we deserve to be on the world stage,” he continued.
“Seeing this, FIBA has been in awe with the action we have been bringing. That is why FIBA has promoted our league to Quest level.”
The Quests are a multi-tournament qualification tour which ends in a Quest final, the best teams of which qualify to a pre-determined World Tour Masters.
This means that the legs will now be ranked as purple in the FIBA 3X3 hierarchy, which is level seven. On the other hand, the Grand Finals of the President’s Cup on Sunday, March 31 at the SM Fairview Events Center will be a level eight (brown).
Though 1Bataan and Pasig have dominated the legs so far, it’s still anyone’s ball game as the Grand Finals will have a knockout tournament format.
“To our players, the stakes just got higher,” remarked the sports patron.
“The winner of the President’s Cup will automatically qualify for the World Tour. Definitely, we want to send the best to the world stage.”
