Mac Tallo of Cebu Chooks is second in the shootout competition of the 2022 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters at the SM Seaside City Cebu on Sunday, October 2, 2022. | Chooks-to-Go
CEBU CITY, Philippines—- The Philippines top 3×3 basketball player and Cebu’s pride, Mac Tallo, lamented in their huge setback in the 2022 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters in front of his hometown folks at the SM Seaside City Cebu last Saturday.
Tallo, the team captain of the Cebu Chooks 3×3 squad, bowed out of the tournament after losing their two scheduled matches in the main draw. They suffered their first defeat in the hands of the world No. 3 team Antwerp of Belgium, 11-16.
They went on losing to the Omaha 3Ball of the United States 21-14, to shut their hopes of winning the US $40,000 purse in this max-level FIBA 3×3.
For Tallo, they have no excuses in this setback.
“Sobra kaayo ko ka excited kay taga diri ra ba ko sa Cebu, pero sakit lang sa akong part nga wala mi nakaadto sa next round,” said the 28-year-old former two-time Cesafi MVP.
(I was so excited because I am from here in Cebu, but it was painful on my part that we could not advance to the next round.)
“Pero at least natagaan gihapon nako sila ug sa team gahapon sa among games ug nindot nga duwa. Nifight jud mi hangtod sa katapusan, pero kulang lang gyud,” he said.
(But at least we gave them and our team yesterday in our games a nice game. We fought until the end but we just came up short.)
Tallo, ranked No. 88 in the world said that they had so many improvements that they needed to work on for their next campaigns.
Tallo, who was drafted No. 10 in the 2017 PBA Draft by the Talk N Text Tropang Giga, said that they lacked the execution and the overall condition which cost them both matches on Saturday against Antwerp and Omaha.
“Daghan mi og na learn nga lessons. Among executions kulang pa, among defense, among pagbox out, kulang pa. Daghan pa mi og kulang. Sa among conditioning, nagkulang sad mi, especially sa last part sa among mga dula. Nahutdan mi og hangin. Dapat dili mi ing-ana. Intact jud unta among character as a player. Ikaduha dili sad mi mo give up until di mahuman ang duwa,” said Tallo.
(We learned a lot of things. We still lack in our executions, in our defense, in our boxing out, we still are lacking in these areas. We also lack in our conditioning, especially in the last part of our games. We were out of breath already. It should not be that way. Our character as a way was intact. Second, we should not give up until the game is over.)
“Inig balik namo sa Manila mao na among i-work on. Sunod namo duwa sa Taiwan on Oct. 22, 2022. Molarga mi inig Oct. 18,” Tallo said.
(When we get back in Manila that is what we will work on. Our next game in Taiwan is on Oct. 22, 2022. We will leave on Oct. 18.)
Cebu Chooks will compete in the upcoming FIBA 3×3 Tainan City 2022 Challenger on Oct. 22 to 23, 2022. Tallo will team up with fellow Cebuano Zach Huang along with big men Brandon Ramirez and Mike Harry Nzeusseu with Chico Lanete as their head trainer and coach.
Despite losing both their matches, Tallo finished second in the shootout competition behind Antwerp’s Thibaut Vervoort on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.
“Sa tanan niari diri, akong mga kapwa Cebuanos, na appreciate namo inyong paganhi. Nianhi gyud mo tanan, bisan wala nami gaduwa. Nianhi gihapon mo para mo support sa 3×3. The 3×3 basketball is getting bigger, hopefully, stay tune lang mo sa 3×3 ug di mo mapul-an ug suporta,” Tallo said.
(To all who came here, my fellow Cebuanos, we appreciate your coming here. You all came here even if we are no longer playing. You came here to support 3×3. The 3×3 basketball is getting bigger. Hopefully, we will just stay tune for the 3×3 and you will not get tired in supporting us.)
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