FROM a two-day tourney, the 2022 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3×3 Asia Pacific Super Quest has been reduced to a one-day meet this Saturday at the Ayala Malls Solenad’s Activity Center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 organizers made the adjustment after the Vietnam SEA Games Organizing Committee strictly enforced a closed bubble setup for the biennial meet, forcing the national 3×3 teams from the region to back out of the tournament.
“We understand the strict health and safety protocols being implemented by the SEA Games Organizing Committee that forced us to re-tinker with the format of the tournament. But with the Manila World Tour Masters also next month, we can’t postpone our tournament,” Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas said.
“That is why we invited new teams that will compete in our tournament and re-structure it with the format used by Dubai during its Super Quest last month,” he added.
The Philippines will be represented by three squads, headlined by Cebu Chooks, in the second edition of the Super Quest in the country that drew 12 teams from the Southeast Asian region. Also set to compete are Manila and Butuan Chooks.
Defending Asia Pacific Super Quest champion Tokyo Dime of Japan will also see action in the tourney. The Japanese are fresh from a sixth-place finish in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where 3×3 basketball made its debut.
Among the teams to watch out for are Zaisan MMC Energy from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the 20th best 3×3 team in the world. Mongolia’s top 3×3 squad is a former runner-up in the World Championship and emerged champion of the 2019 FIBA 3×3 Jeju Challenger.