FROM the start, the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squad that flew to Graz, Austria for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament last month and returned to the Philippines empty-handed was doomed.
The Filipino cagers could have fared better if the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had not replaced the initial squad, according to Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas, whose firm supported and bankrolled the original team.
“Very sad that our country finished last in the OQT. It was as if we did not know how to play 3×3. There was no semblance of a team at all,” Mascariñas told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“The team sent was doomed even before leaving for Graz. They have not played in a single tournament together. The pandemic was made an excuse for the short preparation,” he added.
Mascariñas said he had wanted to bring in Serbian Stefan Stojacic to help toughen up the pool made of Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Dylan Ababou, Karl Dehesa, Leonard Santillan, Chris De Chavez, Gab Banal, Jaypee Belencion, Leo De Vera, and Ryan Monteclaro.
When the SBP took over, it named PBA great Ronnie Magsanoc as coach and replaced the players in the pool except for Munzon, Pasaol, Santillan, and Dehesa with pro league players CJ Perez and Mo Tautuaa.
