Move Liloan, UP Cebu ready to defend home turf

CEBU, Philippines —Two Cebuano teams will hold the torch for the Queen  City of the South as the maiden season

of Cebu Hustle 3x3 takes place this weekend at the Mountain Wing of SM Seaside City.

Playing before their home fans, Move Liloan and UP Cebu hope to deliver the goods and make their townmates proud in the inaugural staging of the Philippine women’s 3x3 international invitational, which draws 12 teams composed of six locals and six foreign squads.

“This is the biggest women’s 3x3 league na nakita natin dito sa Cebu, so of course we want to be competitive,” said Kath Jumapao, who will team up with Kristel Pitogo, Sharlene Owatan, and Shai Demape for Move Liloan which is slotted in Pool A with TOL Patriots and Shinjuku Givers of Japan.

“We’re trying our best to do what we can do,” said UP Cebu coach Sai Bacalso, with the Fighting Maroons parading a youthful crew of Althea Degamo, Jessha Banquil, Lourien Navarro, and Maxim Magbanua as they brace for a tough Pool D against Gilas Pilipinas Women 3x3 U23 and EST Jersey of Malaysia.

Pool B is made up of Uratex Dream, Maurice Lacroix of Japan, and CT Tigers of Thailand, while Pool C has Pilipinas Aguilas, Thailand’s Shoot It Dragons, and Singapore’s Jumpshot

For Bacalso, this event should also serve as a “wake up call” for Cebu City to revitalize the women’s basketball community not just in the city but in the province.

“It’s about time for Cebu City basketball, for the women that we have this. We have to come out and show that pride,” he said.

The champion of this  FIBA Level 4 tourney will take home $3,000 cash prize, while the second and third placers pocket $2,000, and $1,000, respectively.

Games begin at 12 noon today (Saturday, June 20) with pool play distributing the teams into four groups of three before the knockout matches on Sunday, June 21.

“We thank Cebu for embracing our tournament. Ever since we started conceptualizing this event, we’ve had nothing but support from Cebu and it humbles us so much,” said tournament director Peachy Cheng-Medina. “Cebu is a basketball-crazy city so it’s just the right time for us to present women’s 3x3 basketball here in Cebu.”