CYBL Under 10 3×3 Fiesta opens Saturday with 18 participating teams

Participants of the CYBL Under 10 3×3 Fiesta happening today, October 5, at the Sacred Heart School Mango Avenue campus gym. |Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The first leg of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) Under 10 3×3 Fiesta is happening today, October 5, at the Sacred Heart School Mango Avenue campus gym with 18 teams seeing action.

The CYBL came up with the U10 3×3 because it wanted to introduce the sport to the young ones in a fun way as well as allow them to start honing their skills early.

“The 3X3 approach is intended to provide (the) Under 10 age group players the chance to harness their skills in a more appropriate venue vis-à-vis having them play the full court five-on-five game,” said Rey Cañete of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

Cañete added that Under 10 players don’t get to touch the ball too often thus they cannot develop their basketball skills in ball-handling, dribbling, shooting and passing.

In the competition, all teams will get to play in at least three 3X3 games with the game officials doing more coaching and guiding than actual officiating.

In line with the objective of allowing the younger basketball enthusiasts to work on their basketball skills, the teams will play in a round robin series of games, but no champions will be declared.

Sending a team or two in today’s leg 1 are Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, University of San Carlos South, schools from the City of Talisay, Carmen Christian School, St. Benedict Child Education Centre, PAREF Springdale, Basak San Nicolas and University of Southern Philippines Foundation.

The teams were divided in four groups that will play a round robin of 3X3 games per group. This series will be played during the months of October 2019 to March 2020. / dcb