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| Pasig just needs a Top 3 finish to head to Doha. Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas |
By Dugout Philippines
MANILA—After a two-week break, the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President's Cup returns on Sunday, March 31 for the finale of the first conference.
And the stakes are certainly high for the Grand Finals set to take place at the SM Fairview Events Center.
Last Saturday, the International Basketball Federation set the deadline for all 12 competing teams for the first-ever Chooks-to-Go Asia Pacific Super Quest.
That is why during a meeting between the team owners last week, they have agreed that the top two teams from the first two legs will compete in the biggest 3x3 tournament in this side of the world.
"I would like to thank all our partners for understanding the decision made by FIBA," expressed league owner Ronald Mascariñas. "Truly, they are one in supporting Pasig and Bataan for the Super Quest."
"I think we will be able to form a competitive team for the Super Quest to have a good representation of the Philippines," said league commissioner Eric Altamirano.
Advancing to the Super Quest are the Pasig Grindhouse Kings, who accumulated 360 points, and the 1Bataan Risers, who tallied 325 points during the first four legs.
Also competing in the two-day tournament from April 6-7 at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall Events Center are pro teams from Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and China.
"I've never been in a 3x3 tournament that had Philippine teams that are more ready than these two. Before, talagang last minute yung teams na pinapadala. They've shown in our league that they can compete with the international teams," expressed Altamirano.
Though the two teams representing the Philippines for the Super Quest have already been determined, all the pioneering teams in the first-ever 3x3 basketball league in the country are still going all out for the Grand Finals. And it's because an outright seat for the FIBA World Tour Masters Doha and a grand prize of PHP 1,000,000 are still on the line.
"Our team owners thought that they were already out of the running for the grand prize. When we notified them about this, all the teams immediately called for practice," quipped Mascariñas. "That is why we are really excited to see the A-game of our athletes and they promised to bring it during the Grand Finals."
For the ticket to the Doha tournament that will take place from April 18-19, the most number of points garnered across all five legs, including the knockout Grand Finals, will gain the seat. Pasig and Bataan are still in the running for this.
The Kings can clinch the seat if they finish at least in third place as they would garner an additional 70 points, still five points higher than the maximum amount of points the Risers can notch in five legs.
On the other hand, 1Bataan needs to win it all and Pasig to be eliminated in the quarterfinals for them to punch their ticket to Doha.
The winner-take-all pot of PHP 1,000,000 is still up for grabs as the team that wins the knockout tournament will take the pot home.
Safe to say, Pasay, the Go for Gold-San Juan Knights, the Valenzuela Classic, the Vigan Baluarte Wolves, the Cebu-Max4 Birada, the Zamboanga Valientes, the Marikina Shoemasters, the Bulacan Kuyas, the Bacoor Strikers, and the Zark's-Quezon City Jawbreakers are planning to lay it all on the line on Sunday.
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