TNT Triple Giga test their mettle against some of the top teams in the region as the Asia Tour 3×3 kicks off in Manila this weekend at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.
Already the gold standard in the local front, the Mau Belen-mentored side is looking to extend its dominance in the international stage for the inaugural leg of the brand new 3×3 competition.
Samboy de Leon banners TNT along with Ping Exciminiano, Gryann Mendoza, and Beninese import Raoul Odou.
TNT, though, is just one of six Philippine clubs seeing action in the men’s division which also includes fellow PBA 3×3 team Cavitex Braves, as well as Happy Hotels, Gameville, Demigod, and Zamboanga Valientes.
Tonino Gonzaga is flanked by Kenneth Ighalo, Marion Magat, and Dominick Fajardo for the Braves, while Keith Datu, Nico Salva, Yutien Andrada, and TH Tumalip banner Happy Hotels.
Gameville will have Ryan Monteclaro and Mike Nzeusseu, Demigod will lean on Paolo Hubalde and Chris de Chavez, and Zamboanga Valientes got Chibueze Ikeh up front.
But the international teams are also roaring to make a strong impression with national teams, namely Singapore Lions and Vietnam Red & Gold, also participating in this event which has SM as venue partner, Smart as broadcast partner, and Wilson as official gameball, with Heritage Hotel, Fiber Kinetics, and Gatorade as sponsors.
Club teams from all over the region are also well represented, with Harimau Malaysia fielding two teams, as Ting Chun Hong anchors Harimau A and Heng Yee Tong steers Harimau B. Malaysian club Rising Star will have Congolese big man Tychique Bosango at its disposal, while Vietnamese crew The Performance Lab will bank on Dominique Tham and American reinforcements Nigel Thomas and Joshua Keyes.
Pool A is composed of Zamboanga, Gameville, and Harimau A; Pool B has Happy Hotel, Demigod, and Rising Star; Pool C got Cavitex, VN Red & Gold, and Singapore Lions; and Pool D is comprised of TNT Triple Giga, The Performance Lab, and Harimau B.
The top-seeded teams in each group will earn an outright quarterfinals berth while the second- and third-ranked teams will play in a crossover knockout stage to advance to the final eight. Winners then advance to the semifinals and the championship game.
