DENNIS Santos boomed in the game-winning two-pointer as an all-Filipino Manila Chooks! squad scored a thrilling 21-16 decision over Ashgabat of Turkmenistan Sunday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIBA 3X3 Pro League Netherlands 2023 Winter Edition Stop 2 at the Amsterdam Velodrome.
Mac Tallo, the country’s No. 1 3×3 player, shone for Manila Chooks! with 11 points, including two straight that gave the Filipino cagers a 19-15 lead before Ashgabat closed in on at 16-19.
Santos added five while new additions CJ Payawal and Matt Salem, suiting up in lieu of injured big man Brandon Ramirez (knee), had two points each.
The quartet of head trainer Chico Lanete bounced back from a 9-22 defeat to world No. 24 Dí¼sseldorf of Germany in Pool B play earlier.
With the gutsy triumph, Manila Chooks! forged a quarterfinals duel with world No. 11 Utrecht of the Netherlands on Tuesday at the same venue.
The Dutch tripped Manila Chooks 22-14 when they last met in Pool play in Stop 1 last Friday.
With the win, Lanete feels the team can finally get over the hump.
“Focus ang idiniin ko sa kanila. Alam na ng boys how to win pero sabi ko sa kanila na kaya namin ulitin iyon as long as we stay consistent,” Lanete said. “Bawat minuto, bawat segundo hindi puwedeng mawala ang presence of mind.”
“We have the speed. We have the shooting. As long as ma-implement nila lahat ng ginawa namin sa ensayo, we can pull off another win pagdating sa quarterfinals,” he added.
