There will be two teams from the Philippines that will see action in the 2019 Hongxiang Holdings Group Haining 3×3 Basketball Challenger this weekend in Zhejiang, China.
Balanga Chooks and Isabela City Chooks, also known as the Phenom-Basilan Steel are getting ready to fight it for slots in the quarterfinals, and maybe the semifinals, in this level 9-FIBA tournament.
The tournament is the qualifier for a higher level meet, the Montreal Masters.
Philippine 3×3 officials said their participation will help them to continue in their mission to rack up FIBA 3X3 points for the country.
“We were invited to the tournament with just a one-week notice. But we need to join this tournament to continue to gather more points for the country,” said Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 league owner Ronald Mascariñas.
The Philippines now has a world ranking no. 34 in the men’s division.
Alvin Pasaol, Karl Dehesa, Chris De Chavez, and Travis Franklin will make up Balanga.
Isabela City will have Roosevelt Adams, Franky Johnson, Marcus Hammonds, and Gab Banal.
Banal was tapped as a guest player as Troy Rike is currently registered to play for Pasig in the FIBA 3×3 circuit.
“Kami ng Chooks-to-Go, pareho yung mission namin which is to represent our country well,” said Basilan team manager Jackson Chua.
Balanga is seeded in the main draw together with top seed Liman of Serbia, which they will meet June 29 at 2:30 p.m.
Eighth seeded Sosnovy Bor will take on Balanga at 4:15 pm in another Pool A encounter.
Isabela City will clash with Mongolian clubs Sukhbaatar at 9:00 am and Taikhar at 10:40 am. Pool B.