PLAYING under scorching Middle East heat, Manila Chooks TM will leave everything on the court in the FIBA 3×3 Doha World Tour Masters starting today at the Al Gharafa Sports Complex in Qatar.
“Sobrang init,” said captain Alvin Pasaol during the team’s first training Wednesday.
Unlike last year, the quartet of Pasaol, Joshua Munzon, Troy Rike, and Alvin Pasaol was not able to cross train with Japanese teams
Kamakura NatureMade and Yoyogi Crayon.Exe, where they rotated the three courts in the venue with, putting the squad in a disadvantage.
Strict health protocols were implemented for all participants at the venue.
Still, the burly forward out of Davao City remains confident that they will be ready when they face defending champion and world No. 1
Liman of Serbia and Lusail of the host nation in pool action which is being held outdoors.
“Siguro nasa 80 percent kami ngayon. Maganda naman yung practice kanina kasi nagawa naman namin yung gusto namin,” said Pasaol.
“By Friday, ready na kami,” he added.
Manila will first play Liman at 11:55 p.m. (Manila time) before wrapping up its Pool A assignments against Lusail at 1:35 a.m. on Saturday.
The top two teams in Pool A will take on the top two of Pool C, which is composed of world No. 4 NY Harlem of the United States, No. 14 Lausanne of Switzerland, and Utena of Lithuania in this Saturday’s knockout quarterfinals.
The winner in the level 10 tournament, which the national 3×3 pool standouts are using as part of their preparations for next year’s
Olympic qualifiers, will receive $40,000.
