TERRENCE Romeo and Mac Tallo, two of the country’s more prolific scorers, looked good playing together during the team’s practices. Aside from the expected big scoring productions, they were also sharing the ball and leading their team by example.
It’s happening—and for good reason.
Buoyed by their desire to carry the country’s tri-colors, Romeo and Tallo team up for the Manila Melmac 3×3 squad out to showcase its real worth in the FIBA 3×3 Manila Challenger set on Sept. 20 to 21 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.
With enormous pressure and challenge to deliver in front of an expected big Filipino hometown crowd, Romeo and his teammates are ready to rise to the occasion.
“Kapag may expectations sa amin, that’s a good sign. Ibig sabihin, ang fans sa mga player na iyon, alam nila ang capabilities na kaya nilang gawin. Ako, si Mac, si Henry, si Abdul, we know what we can do,” the flashy 5-foot-11 guard said. “Alam namin na kaya namin na mag-compete and at the same time, excited kasi ako, personally, ang tagal ko na hindi nakapaglaro ng 3×3 so excited ako na makatulong sa team natin ngayon and ang main goal is to compete.
“So, expectations are always there, pero ang main goal namin is mag-compete and manalo. So, kahit saan namin tingnan, lahat ito, going to the game is okay, masarap pakinggan pero iyong main focus namin is iyong game itself, kung ano iyong gagawin namin,” he added.
Romeo, who is making his return to the halfcourt game after a 10-year hiatus, and Tallo, the former No. 1 3×3 player in the Philippines, will be joined in the Chico Lanete-mentored quartet by Abdul Sawat and hulking 6-foot-10 big man Henry Iloka.
The former Far Eastern University standout and UAAP MVP steered Manila West to a title triumph in the 2014 FIBA 3×3 World Tour Manila Masters.
Manila Melmac opens its campaign against China’s Chongming, a team spearheaded by Latvia’s top 3×3 player Karlis Lasmanis, at 2:40 p.m. on Saturday before it battles Switzerland’s Lugano later in the night at 6:20.
The equally spitfire Tallo welcomed the addition of Romeo to the team with open arms.
“Sobrang saya kasi kumbaga parang isang threat, isang Mac Tallo iyong dumating. Sobrang daming weapons na ng team namin. May pagkakatiwalaan ka. Mas na-pressure ako kasi gusto ko lumevel up sa laro ni Terrence or more than that. So, iyon ang challenge sa akin ngayon,” Tallo said in jest that likewise drew a hearty laugh from Romeo, typifying the camaraderie they have.
