Fred Elombi will try to help the Max4-Birada Cebu in the third leg of the Chooks -to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Patriot’s Cup. | Chooks-to-Go photo
Cebu City, Philippines—Even with resident powerhouse Gold’s Gym-Pasig Kings out for the third leg of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Patriot’s Cup, the Max4-Birada Cebu will still have their work cut out for them during the competition, which kicks off on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at the SM Muntinlupa Events Center.
The Kings, who are on top of the table with 170 points, are competing in the 2019 FIBA 3X3 Poitiers Challenger, which is a qualifier for the Lausanne World Tour Masters.
But even without the Kings, there remains the Wilkins-Balanga Pure whose resident import Travis Franklin will make his local league debut, taking the place of former Far Eastern University’s Prince Orizu.
The Phenom-Basilan Steel, who are tied with VetHealth-Delhi 3BL, though will not field their usual four as Roosevelt Adams sustained a right hamstring injury last weekend during the FIBA 3X3 Haining Challenger. Replacing Adams is Gab Dagangon, who will make his 3×3 debut.
Leg two champions VetHealth-Delhi 3BL, will still have the services of Indian national basketball team mainstay AJ Gill.
Max4-Birada Cebu, will field a complete squad after plugging in just three during the last leg. Former Cebu Shark Alfred Codilla replaced Darrell Menina while USJ-R Jaguars star Elmer Echavez completes Max4’s quartet along with Fred Elombi and Jerome Napao.
Cebu is in seventh place in the standings with 61 points. They have been bracketed in Pool C together with the Tycoon Ballers QC and the Mindoro Tamaraws. They face the Tycoon Ballers at 11:15 a.m. and then, the Mindoro Tamaraws at 1:55 p.m.
The leg will have P100,000 at stake while the conference has a prize pool of P2,000,000 plus tickets to the 2019 Jeddah Masters and the Xiong’An Challenger. /bmjo