Le P:LAB 3X3 Champions Cup Launches with ₱2M Prize Pool
A ₱2 million prize pool, eight legs across the country, and FIBA ranking points on the line—the Le P:LAB 3X3 Philippine Champions Cup is positioning itself as one of the most ambitious 3×3 tournaments in the Philippines this year.
The tournament was officially launched during a media conference at Crowne Plaza Ortigas, marking the collaboration between SBTown and NBL-Pilipinas to build a structured, nationwide 3×3 circuit set to run from June to August.
A Format Built for Scale and Pressure
The Champions Cup will roll out across eight legs nationwide, with each stop expected to host up to 100 teams. This made volume a defining feature of the competition.
From there, the margin for error disappears quickly.
Only the top 16 teams per leg advance to a knockout round. Leg champions advance to the Elite 8 before the tournament culminates in a Final 4 in Manila to determine the inaugural national champion.
It’s a system that will demand consistency across multiple stages, something rarely seen in local 3×3 setups.
FIBA Points Raise the Stakes
What sets the Champions Cup apart from typical local tournaments is its connection to the international game.
Players will earn FIBA 3×3 ranking points, giving the competition real implications beyond prize money. For teams looking to build credibility or break into higher-level tournaments, every game becomes part of a bigger trajectory.
This turns each game into more than just a local tournament.
Designed for Both Competition and Audience
The Champions Cup also leans into the entertainment side of basketball.
The national champion will compete in exhibition games against a Korean artists and actors basketball team, while additional matchups featuring Philippine artists and former players are also planned.
It’s a deliberate move to broaden how the game connects with audiences.
A Partnership with Clear Roles
The structure behind the tournament reflects the strengths of its organizers.
SBTown brings audience reach and experience in building entertainment-driven platforms. NBL-Pilipinas, now in its eighth year, provides the league’s backbone in handling organization, competition standards, and execution.
That combination addresses a common issue in local tournaments: strong ideas that struggle with scale or consistency.
Why This Tournament Matters
3×3 basketball thrives on accessibility, but scaling it has always been the challenge.
The Champions Cup attempts to solve that by combining nationwide reach, structured progression, and international relevance through FIBA points.
If sustained, this kind of system can do more than produce a single champion. It can create a deeper pool of competitive 3×3 teams across different regions.
What Comes Next
The first leg tips off in June, with the national championship set for August, giving the tournament a tight, high-intensity window.
The real test will be consistency across all eight legs.
Because if the execution matches the ambition, the Le P:LAB 3X3 Philippine Champions Cup won’t just be remembered for its prize pool.
It could set the standard for how 3×3 basketball grows in the Philippines.
