FAST FACTS: Gilas Pilipinas teams at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will be well-represented at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 as both men’s and women’s teams will be deployed at the regional tournament this July 6 to 10 in Singapore.

Here are some fast facts about the tournament, the teams involved, and the players the country is sending to represent the flag.

TNT set to detonate on Asian stage

Over at the men’s division, Gilas Pilipinas is sending the core of the PBA 3×3’s title-winning TNT Tropang Giga composed of Samboy de Leon, Lervin Flores, and Almond Vosotros, while Purefoods’ Joseph Eriobu rounds out the quartet.

Ranked together in the 10 to 13 spots in the Philippines’ FIBA 3×3 rankings, the Gilas men representatives are hoping to give Asia’s best squads a good run for their money, and possibly stage some upsets.

Reliable reinforcements

Whether in women’s 5-on-5 or 3×3, the Philippines can’t go wrong with leaning on its longtime national team stalwarts Afril Bernardino, Khate Castillo, Katrina Guytingco, and Camille Clarin.

Although Guytingco is the only high-ranking 3×3 player in the group at ninth in the country’s list, Bernardino, Castillo, and Clarin are still three of the best Filipina ballers today, and will bank on their cohesion and shooting prowess to lift Gilas to victory.

Mongolian mastery

For both men’s and women’s divisions, Mongolia has been pegged as the country to beat alongside other basketball behemoths like China, Japan, and Australia.

Fortunately, the Philippine teams will not run to any brick walls just yet as the men’s team will face Jordan and Indonesia first in the group stage, while the women’s team will face Jordan as well, along with Thailand – all on Thursday, July 7.

Format

Unlike 5-on-5 tournaments, the 3×3 Asia Cup will have no classification rounds, and will determine rankings based on points, which means that the Philippines will have fewer chances to show off and rack up personal and federation points.

All games past the group stages until the finals will be knockout matches, thus making winning imperative from the get-go for both Gilas teams in order to go deep in the tournament.

The Pinoy squads in Singapore will certainly need all the support they can get from their rabid fan bases to keep their momentum high. – Rappler.com