By JONAS TERRADO
Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines is out to continue its dominance while Nueva Ecija won’t be having Juan Gomez de Liano in the second leg of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup starting Friday at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The team of Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike and Santi Santillan is aiming to repeat its conquest of the inaugural leg two days ago, first by hurdling the two preliminary round matches which starts at 1 p.m.
Munzon, Pasaol, Rike and Santillan, who beat Butuan City 21-19 for the first leg crown to assert their status as favorites, are going to face Pasig-Sta. Lucia and Petro Cement-Roxas in Pool B.
Nueva Ecija will miss Gomez de Liano, one of the country’s top amateur cagers, after spraining his ankle during Wednesday’s first leg that saw the Rice Vanguards reach the semifinals of the TM-backed competition.
Without Gomez de Liano, Gab Banal, Jai Reyes, Tonino Gonzaga and Maclyn Sabellina will have to work doubly hard in order to equal its first leg showing. Nueva Ecija is in Pool A together with Palayan City and Sarangani.
Butuan, powered by Franky Johnson, is in Pool C with Bicol-Paxful 3×3 Pro and Zamboanga Peninsula MLV while Porac-Big Boss Cement, Bacolod City-Master Sardines and Pagadian Rocky Sports are in Pool D.
Like in the first leg, the top two teams per pool advance to the knockout quarterfinals, with the champion receiving P100,000.
An additional P100,000 will be given to the team that beats Zamboanga City in the finals as a way to toughen Munzon, Pasaol, Rike and Santillan as part of preparations for next year’s FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Games will be aired on BEAM TV channel 31 and streamed on the Facebook page of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas and the YouTube channel of FIBA 3×3.
