By Jaime Joshua A. Frias II
Contributor
XAVIER University High School Alumni Batch 1998 is reviving a basketball tournament that boomed in the late 90s.
This, as XUHS 98 announced its staging of a prestigious streetball challenge dubbed as “IAM 98 3x3 Basketball Tournament” on February 25-26 at the Barangay Nazareth gym in Cagayan de Oro.
Streetball challenge, then sponsored by Nike and Adidas, used to be a much-anticipated annual event in the past in this northern part of Mindanao.
“Those were the times that three-on-three boomed and was a must-see tournament every year which featured our very own locals,” said Viktor Ocampo, the newly-installed president of IAM 98.
IAM 98 had the organizing support of Stephen ‘Pong’ Dacoco, who is the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Region 10 director.
Dacoco said that three-on-three is a display of agility and wits that will develop young and budding players to regular basketball tournaments.
The fast-approaching tournament will have exciting activities in the all-boys categories, namely: 21-under, 18-under, 16-under, and 12-under.
Winners in each category will receive P10,000 cash with trophies and P7,000 and P5,000 for the second and third places, respectively.
Proceeds of the tournament will go to the future projects of Batch 1998, which will be one of the co-organizers of this year’s alumni homecoming of XUHS.
The tournament is sanctioned by SBP, FIBA, 3x3 FIBA Endorsed, Cagayan de Oro Basketball Federation, and Xavier University.
The deadline for registration will be on February 20. Interested teams may call on Dacoco at 09355555594 or Lordie Ampo at 09175100244.
