ALHOUGH facing big odds, the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squad set to do battle in the FIBA 3×3 Olympic qualifying tournament is unfazed.
“I think all of us have been raring for the chance to get out there and make that a reality,” Fil-Am wingman Joshua Munzon said last Saturday in the team’s appearance on Radyo5 92.3 News FM’s Power and Play program hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala.
“It’s been a dream for all of us to make it to the Olympics and I think this is a big opportunity for us and for our country,” he added.
The 6-foot-4 Munzon, made as this year’s top pick overall in the PBA draft by Terrafirma, along with San Miguel Beer teammates CJ Perez and Mo Tautuaa, Meralco rookie Alvin Pasaol, and reserves Karl Dehesa and Leonard Santillan arrived last Saturday at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna for their bubble training camp.
“It hasn’t sunk in at all. I didn’t really think about that. It’s cool, make history. Not everyone can do it, and it’s not built for everyone,” Tautuaa said. “If we can land ourselves in it, awesome. I want that. It’s here, it’s on the paper for us. We just have to take it.”
Bracketed in Group C of the four-group, 20-country joust, the Filipinos are set square off with Qatar and Slovenia on May 26, and Dominican Republic and France two days later in their bid to gain one of the three spots for the sport’s maiden appearance in the Tokyo Games in July.
World No. 20 Gilas needs to wind up in the top two of its group to reach the knockout rounds.
Having played in the 3×3 World Tour before, Munzon admitted world No. 3 Slovenia poses the biggest hurdle to their bid.
“We got a chance to see Slovenia play on the pro circuit. We’ve been able to watch some film during the Zoom sessions. We’ve been studying teams for the past month or so,” Munzon said. “We might not have been able to go together physically but Zoom has been able to keep us together mentally.”
Also not to be counted out are Gilas’ other foes such as Qatar and France, according to Munzon.
“We played against a number of the Qatar guys and even some from the French team. We got some experience playing against those guys,” he said. “So, we’ve been able to game plan a little bit for these teams.”
