Cebu City, Philippines — Cebu-Max4 Birada will have one of the greatest shooting guards of all time in their lineup for the penultimate leg of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup as the “Cebuano Hotshot” Dondon Hontiveros will be competing on Saturday, March 9, at the SM Megamall Events Center.
Cebu is currently in 11th place and will sorely need a boost from the Cebuano great.
But more than the goal of winning, Cebu enlisted the former Gilas Pilipinas stalwart because they want their young guns to learn from him.
“Rey Suerte is already in the D-League while [Garciano] Puerto and [Nichole] Ubalde want to be there as well. Malaking tulong si Dondon para matuto sila how to act both on and off the court,” said team co-owner John Rubin, who has known Hontiveros since his days in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).
Hontiveros is ready to take on the challenge.
“I am excited. I was really going hard against the guys during the last three days of practice and naki scrimmage pa mi with the UC high school team in preparation for their coming games. Tho it will be different, pero I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said the Cebuano who played last for the Alaska Aces in the PBA.
Joining Cebu in this league that will see its first place finisher with P 1,000,000 and a ticket to the first-ever Asia-Pacific Super Quest are the Marikina Shoemasters, who will only have three players for the leg, and the Pasay Voyagers.
Leg two champions 1Bataan Risers will see the return of Sean Manganti. They will be grouped with Carga Valenzuela Classic and the Quezon City-Zark’s Jawbreakers.
The Pasig-Grindhouse Kings, on the other hand, are looking to make up for their hearbreaking loss.
Expected to give the Kings a tough fight are the surging Vigan Baluarte Wolves and the Bulacan Kuyas.
Completing the cast are the San Juan-Go for Gold Knights, the Bacoor Strikers, and the Zamboanga Valientes MLV, who are situated in Group B. /bmjo