By JONAS TERRADO
The roster of the Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines that won the recent Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup is now setting its sights on next month’s stint in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Doha Masters.
Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan and Troy Rike are set to represent the team that will be known as Manila Chooks in the two-day competition, marking the first time that the Philippines plays in a Masters event since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ever since they had the first Masters back, I wanted us to be on that stage,” said Munzon, whose two-point shot gave Zamboanga City a 22-19 win over Nueva Ecija in Friday’s Grand Finals at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
“So for us to get a chance to hopefully make some noise and put what we’ve learned here and put it to the test there is definitely a big test in itself. So heading to the OQT, it helps us get an insight of how far we have come and have not come,” added the country’s top 3×3 player.
Munzon, Pasoal, Santillan and Rike, who joined forces to use the President’s Cup as preparation for the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, collected total earnings of P1,360,000 after winning three of the four legs that lasted two weeks under a bubble setup known as “Calambubble.”
Zamboanga City took home the P1-million top purse of the Grand Finals but not after surviving a scare against a Nueva Ecija side that played with just three healthy players — Jai Reyes, Gab Banal and Tonino Gonzaga — due to injuries to Juan Gomez de Liano and Mac Sabellina.
A three by Banal got Nueva Ecija within a point but Munzon fired a long two off Reyes to clinch the title.
