Members of the Cebu Chooks 3×3 team are seen at the airport. They are Mac Tallo (from left), Dennis Santos, Mike Harry Nzeusseu, and Brandon Ramirez. | Photo from Chooks-to-Go.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Chooks 3×3 Basketball Team has arrived in Tainan City, Taiwan to campaign in the FIBA 3×3 Tainan City Challenger this weekend.
The team headed by Cebu’s pride and the country’s top 3×3 player Mac Tallo arrived in Tainan City on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 along with Brandon Ramirez, and Mike Harry. They will be joined by former Ateneo captain Vince Tolentino.
It can be recalled that Cebu Chooks failed in their home game during the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters last Oct. 1-2, 2022 at the SM Seaside City. The home team was eliminated in the pool stage in front of Cebuano basketball fans.
Cebu Chooks lost to Antwerp of Belgium and Omaha 3Ball of the United States in Group A’s action.
This time, the team had renewed optimism going to the Tainan City Challenger as they were planning to qualify for the Hong Kong Masters on Nov. 26-27. The Hong Kong Masters is equivalent to the Cebu Masters last October where the best-of-the-best 3×3 teams will be competing.
Calling the shots on the sideline is Chico Lanete, the head coach and trainer of Cebu Chooks who recently played his final basketball game during the Cebu Masters.
Cebu Chooks will be ranked ninth in the competition tomorrow.
“Bounce back, that’s the marching order to us by our team owner Ronald Mascariñas,” said Lanete.
“We are in the tail-end of the 2022 season so we need to finish strong. Hopefully, Vince can bring to the team what we lacked in the Cebu Masters, which is the hustle plays and the outside shooting.”
Despite the optimism, Cebu Chooks’ campaign in Tainan City will not be as easy as it seems as the world No. 1 UB of Serbia will be competing also in the tournament.
Along with them is Antwerp, Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia, Utsunomiya Brex of Japan and Jeddah of Saudi Arabia.
The other title contenders are Sakiai of Lithuania,Belgrade of Serbia, and Warsaw of Poland.
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