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Chooks 3x3 boss Mascarinas hits out at SBP, PBA for sloppy Gilas OQT stint

A shock upset loss against Dominican Republic highlighted Gilas 3x3's struggles in the FIBA 3x3 OQT. FIBA (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 owner Ronald Mascarinas could not help but get mad at the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas after Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 crashed out of the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament last month in Graz, Austria.

Despite having former Chooks 3x3 stars Joshua Munzon and Santi Santillan, who were recently drafted to the PBA, along with Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Mo Tautuaa and CJ Perez, now teammates with San Miguel, Gilas 3x3 was dead last in the tournament where three slots in the Tokyo Olympics were at stake, even getting stunned by Dominican Republic, a team without a Top 1000 player in the FIBA 3x3 rankings, in one pool stage game.

"I will not sugarcoat this. I was really disappointed. Sobrang napakalaking kahihiyan ang binigay nila sa ating bayan," Mascarinas said on Saturday in a virtual press conference.

The sports patron believes that Gilas' disappointing finish flushed out all his efforts of bringing the Philippines back in the Olympics in the senior level.

"At the end of the day, sinarili ng SBP and PBA na sila na magpapadala doon.... Inako nila. They did not involve us as if we have not existed. They want the credit. They want to be the ones to represent the country. Ba't hindi nila trinabaho?" Mascarinas further lamented.

He also thinks that the lack of chemistry among the players as if the team was hastily built spelled disaster.

"The team was doomed from the very start. Paano ka magpapadala sa Olympic Qualifying Tournament ng isang team na 'di man lang nakapaglaro together in a single tournament?" Mascarinas further said.

It can also be noted that despite the team being formed last year, Gilas only went full blast in its training early May, just a few weeks before the OQT, a far cry from its 5-on-5 counterpart which has been training together for quite some time now.

"They don't show importance," Mascarinas further said.

He added that the OQT outcome was "a big humiliation to our country."

Mascarinas then called out the SBP, saying, "Huwag nyo nang ulitin yan. Sobrang kahihiyan ang ginawa nyo sa bayan natin."

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno

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