Manila Chooks exit FIBA 3×3 Cebu Masters after losing to UB Huishan-Serbia in the quarterfinals
UB Huishan NE-Serbia’s Strahinja Stojacic tries to break free from the defense of Manila Chooks’ Mac Tallo in their quarterfinals match in the Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters on Sunday. | FIBA 3×3 photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Manila Chooks officially bowed out of the Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters after losing to the top-ranked UB Huishan NE of Serbia, 14-21, in the quarterfinals on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at the SM Seaside City Cebu.
Despite the odds, Manila Chooks put on a gallant stand against the heavily-favored Serbs.
Manila Chooks headed by the Philippines’ top 3×3 player Mac Tallo of Cebu had a promising run on Saturday after reaching the quarterfinals of the international 3×3 tournament.
Americans’ Marus Hammonds and Marquez Letcher-Ellis each scored five points for Manila Chooks. Tosh Sesay had two points, while Tallo who scored nine points in Saturday evening’s quarterfinal-clinching win against Futian that only tallied two markers.
But in Sunday’s game, Strahinja Stojajic proved why he’s the world’s top 3×3 player by unloading 11 points and four rebounds.
Dejan Majstorovic added six points, while Marko Brankovic had three. Vladimir Dordevic chipped in one point in UB Huishan’s win.
The Serbs advances to the semifinals where they’ll face Miami-USA which also beat San Juan-Puerto Rico, 21-17, in the other quarterfinals game held earlier today.
Manila Chooks put some fight early in their game after leading by three points, 7-4, with Hammonds topping it with a two-pointer.
However, the Serbs slowly chipped away the deficit until they tied the game at 7-all from Majstorovic’s three-straight points.
Stojacic put UB Huishan ahead, 8-7, from his layup. The Serbs then stretched their lead to four, 12-8, with Brankovic topping it with a layup.
The Serbs capitalized on Manila Chooks’ unforced errors and missed long range shots which further ballooned their lead to six, 16-10.
Not to be outfought, Manila Chooks managed to cut the deficit to just three, 13-16, from Hammonds and Letcher-Ellis’s efforts. But the Serbs retaliated with a 5-1 run to seal the game.
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