Joshua Munzon describes playing in the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) as the “biggest opportunity” of his career.

After all, Munzon has a chance to make history as Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 looks to become the first Filipino basketball team in nearly five decades to see action in the Summer Games.

Munzon and the Philippines will compete with 19 other nations in the OQT, which will be staged in Graz, Austria in June, for the three Tokyo Olympic tickets up for grabs in the event.

“I can say that this is the biggest opportunity I have had in my career,” Munzon said in a press statement released by Smart.

Once a powerhouse, the Philippines last sent a basketball team to the Games in the 1972 edition in Germany.

Since then, the country had trouble cracking an Olympic spot as teams in the continent grew stronger.

But Munzon and Gilas 3×3 can end that drought as the half-court variant of the sport debuts in the Olympics.

“Truly a huge honor and the possibility of being in the Olympics is something that I never thought I would be in,” Munzon said.

Munzon, the top-ranked 3×3 player in the country, and the team have been hard at work as they completed the first half of their training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

Together with Munzon were teammates CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, Santi Santillan, and Karl Dehesa, and coach Ronnie Magsanoc.

“We were able to shake the rust off and have an idea on what our offense and defense will be,” Munzon said.

Gilas 3×3 left the Laguna bubble last Saturday, May 8 and will return later this week, with Alvin Pasaol set to join the team.

“I just think we just continue to build on what we have been working on, the chemistry and just be better,” Munzon said. – Rappler.com