Chooks-to-Go top brass Ronald Mascariñas (left) and FIBA 3×3 managing director Alex Sanchez (right). | Photo courtesy of Chooks to Go
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 will be hosting two legs of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters, one will be happening here after its official announcement on Friday evening.
It’s been two years since the Philippines joined the FIBA 3×3 Super Quest which was then followed by hosting the FIBA 3×3 Challenger tournament.
The FIBA 3×3 Cebu Masters is scheduled from October 1-2, but before that, the Manila Masters will take the center stage first on May 28-29.
For Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas, now is the time to bring back the World Tour Masters to the Philippines.
“Since 2019, the goals of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 is to expose the Filipino basketball player to world-class competition while bringing quality 3×3 basketball to the fans,” said Mascariñas.
“Two years before the 2024 Paris Olympics, we need to garner FIBA 3×3 points to qualify for the tournament or the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
“By hosting the top-level tournaments, we get maximum points while also giving our players more experience and mileage in international 3×3,” he continued.
Japan’s Utsunomiya City will open the season by hosting the first leg on May 14-15.
Besides Manila and Cebu, France, Prague, Lausanne, Debrecen, Montreal, Chengdu, Jeddah, Hong Kong, and Macau will also have Masters tournaments.
The season closes on December 9-10 in Abu Dhabi.
Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 players will be taking part in the FIBA 3×3 circuit.
“I think we should be very grateful to Chooks-to-Go for insisting and continuing its effort to help 3×3 in the Philippines,” said FIBA 3×3 managing director Alex Sanchez.
“We always thought and believed that the Philippines is a great opportunity and market for 3×3, Therefore, we can only be grateful for this continuous effort in these difficult times,” Sanchez said.
Two members of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 are from Cebu. They are Mac Tallo and Zac Huang who already played for the team in various major FIBA 3×3 tournaments abroad.
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