COMING from a nearly two-month break, the Cebu Chooks 3×3 squad is raring to show its worth anew.
“It’s good to see the team heading back to the road again after the FIBA 3×3 break,” Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas said. “We hope that the team shows no rust as this is the beginning of our teams’ second half of the year grind.”
Gunner Mac Tallo, the country’s No. 1 3×3 player and ranked 78th in the world, echoed the amiable executive and sports patron’s sentiments, saying: “Hindi naman kami nawala sa kundisyon since the Manila Masters. Lagi pa rin kaming nag-e-ensayo at mas gutom kami ngayon para makabawi.”
Cebu Chooks arrived in Lipik last Wednesday night for the FIBA 3×3 Lipik Challenger in Croatia.
The level nine-FIBA 3×3 tourney kicking off today will serve as a qualifier for the Lausanne Masters.
Cebu Chooks takes on world No. 2 Liman of Serbia today at 11:40 p.m. in Pool A in Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, before battling Fribourg of Switzerland tomorrow.
Aside from Tallo, making up the Aldin Ayo-mentored squad are Brandon Ramirez, Zach Huang, and Mike Nzeusseu.
Tallo said he and his teammates are aching to get back at the Serbians, who handed them an 11-21 loss in the quarterfinals of the Manila Masters.
“Mabigat iyong pagkatalo namin sa Liman noong Manila Masters. Akala namin noon na ready na kami sa kanila kasi nakaka-ensayo namin sila pero iba pa rin talaga sila sa laro,” Tallo said.
“Ngayon siguro mas ready kami para sa kanila.”
Liman will still field the quartet of world No. 4 Stefan Kojic, No. 9 Aleksandar Ratkov, No. 13 Nebojsa Kilijan, and No. 19 Miroslav Pašajlić.
The team will also be ranged against formidable rivals in the Lipik Challenger which features 16 squads from 12 different countries. Eight of these teams are in the top 30 in the world. — Michael Jugado
