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Balanga Chooks complete again after tapping Lamar Roberson for Bucharest Challenger

A journeyman in professional 5-on-5 basketball play, Lamar Roberson is set to get a baptism of fire in his 3x3 debut. Warren Buckland/Hawkes Bay Today (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Balanga Chooks will be traveling to Bucharest a four-man crew after all.

The team known in the local 3x3 scene as the Bataan Risers will parade a second American reinforcement for the FIBA 3x3 Bucharest Challenger to fill in the void left by Alvin Pasaol.

Balanga Chooks acquired the services of six-foot-eight forward Lamar Roberson to backstop fellow foreign player Travis Franklin and locals Karl Dehesa and Chris De Chavez for the qualifier to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Debrecen Masters.

Roberson is not new to European basketball as he already had 5-on-5 basketball stints in Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, and Luxembourg after going undrafted on the 2010 NBA Draft. He also played in Mexico and New Zealand.

Franklin helped make the Roberson acquisition possible as they are actually childhood friends and even played together in college at Louisiana-Lafayette.

"He will be a great replacement. I'm excited to see what he can do. It will be fun. We're ready to rock and roll," said Franklin. "He plays like me. He plays fast but he's taller. It will be a good 1-2 punch."

"Malaking bagay na Travis has played with Lamar. Yung skills ni Lamar is complimentary sa mga players natin that will go to Romania," added Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 league commissioner Eric Altamirano.

With Roberson's addition, Balanga Chooks has become a literal tall order ahead of its campaign, which will begin on Saturday.

"Now, we are bigger than the European teams. It will be really good for us," Franklin further said.

Balanga will take on Colorado City at 3:20 p.m. (Philippine Time) and Kochenevo at 4:40 p.m. Saturday in the Qualifying Draw B.

The best team in the qualifying draw will join New York Harlem and Edmonton in Pool D.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno