PBA 3x3's lone female coach hopes to make lasting impact for women hoopers with new league

MANILA, Philippines – There’s little left to prove for TNT Triple Giga head coach Mau Belen in the PBA 3x3 scene, as she holds the honor of being the only coach to lead a team to a grand slam in the tournament while also being the lone female tactician in the league.

But as she hopes to make a bigger splash for women’s basketball players, Belen and her troika of players established a new 3x3 event that aims to make the high-paced sport more accessible to the everyday Filipino.

Belen is the founding head coach of the Half Court Group (HCG), and with their maiden tournament slated across three weekends in September, she wants to cover more ground for the less-privileged women in the world of 3x3 basketball.

“While I was trying to build this Half Court Group, parang mas natuwa yung puso ko kasi feeling ko mas malaki yung platform na binibigay nito sa akin para matulungan magka-chance ang mas maraming kababaihan to be part of the sport,” said Belen.

Their first tournament and clinic, beginning this weekend at the Crystal Pavilion in Okada Manila, will feature both men’s and women’s divisions — with equal teams participating.

They also have separate days for each of the grand finals of the two divisions, as they want to ensure adequate attention and time to enjoy both men’s and women’s games.

Belen and HCG co-founders Chester Saldua, Matthew Salem and Samboy De Leon, also did not limit who will be able to play in the tournament. No matter their background, as long as they’re willing to play in the tournament, they will be allowed to participate.

This free-for-all mentality heading into their first project comes from a place of wanting to include as many people as possible in their journey.

As she gets to call the shots with the HCG, Belen said that it was a lot more impactful than her role in the PBA.

“That has been my personal barrier. Being part of the PBA, [I’m] definitely grateful to be there. Yun ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito ngayon, but yun nga eh, personally I feel like dahil nasa men’s side ako, it limits me to touch on and be involved in a lot of simple things, like attending an event for women’s basketball because may game kami, because may practice kami, nasa camp kami,” said Belen. 

“But [with the HCG], this is something na talagang sabi ko, I think this is gonna be something different but the same, because the mission is still the same. To uplift women in sports,” she continued.

Being part of the game for the longest time, Belen also knows that this is not just a one time, big time endeavor.

Rather, she and her troika of hoopers are looking at the long term. While the group is still in its infancy and they have yet to set anything in stone, Belen said that they are definitely looking to create more opportunities with a sustainable format.

“Hindi pa kita mabigyan ng confident answer right now but we’re looking at the pipeline when we’re planning it. At least for now, at least every quarter of the [year] makagawa kami ng tournament. It’s not cheap, especially right now that we don’t have contracts in day jobs kung tatawagin, so really, this is something na out of love and passion namin ginawa,” she said. 

“But yeah, that’s very important to make it sustainable, people would remember you na probably every March, every June, every September, and every December may tournament yung Half Court, or may camp na pwede namin puntahan all year round. Things like that.”

Leg 1 of the Half Court Group’s 3x3 tournament and clinic begins on Saturday, September 7, at Okada Manila in Parañaque.