Chooks 3×3 fields country’s best for Moscow Challenger

MANILA, Philippines – Pasig Chooks-to-Go will field a tried and tested lineup while Balanga Chooks-to-Go enlisted a new player for the 2019 FIBA 3X3 Tinkoff Moscow Challenger on June 7 to 8 in Russia.

World No. 24 Pasig, which is entering the tournament as a seeded team, will be headlined by the trio of Joshua Munzon, Nikola Pavlovic, and Taylor Statham – the 89th, 90th, and 91st FIBA 3×3 players in the world.

Completing the cast is Dylan Ababou, the 12th-ranked player in the Philippines.

Pasig is coming off a 0-2 campaign in the 2019 Kunshan Challenger last May 18 to19.

“Two weeks ago, we experienced two crushing losses in Kunshan. It is natural that we are disappointed. But beyond that, it showed what we are still lacking to compete with the world’s best,” said Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 league owner Ronald Mascariñas.

“And I can guarantee that our players are mentally and physically ready for this tournament.”

Balanga Chooks-to-Go, which were invited in the tournament as a FIBA wildcard, will still have the troika of Alvin Pasaol, Travis Franklin, and Karl Dehesa.

The fourth member of the team is Valenzuela gunslinger Chris Dechavez.

“Chris, finally you made it!” quipped Mascariñas.

Pasig Chooks-to-Go is slotted in Group Round 2-B together with world No. 3 Riga Ghetto and Belgium’s Antwerp.

Balanga Chooks-to-Go, for its part, has to go through qualifiers before making it to the tournament proper.

Balanga needs to top a group featuring Ukraine’s Odessa Basket and Russia’s Moscow Inanomo in order to move on to Pool Round 2-C that has Russia’s Gagarin and Poland’s Gdańsk Energa 3×3. – Rappler.com