Cebu City Chooks books spot in Manila Masters playoffs after ousting Zavkhan

Mike Harry Nzeusseu and Mac Tallo take over in the end for Cebu City Chooks. Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas

By Ivan Saldajeno

PARAÑAQUE—Cebu City Chooks assured on Saturday night that the Philippines will be represented in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters knockout stages after beating Zavkhan MMC Energy, 21-19, in the final game for Pool A at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay Activity Center.

Mac Tallo scored the winning basket as Cebu rallied in the end to oust Zavkhan in the virtual eliminator.

After Avirmed Lhagvaa raced past the Cebu defense to tie the game at 19-all, Zach Huang found Tallo wide open at the left wing for the assist, and Tallo did not hesitate to take the quick deuce after the clearance with 40 seconds to spare.

Mike Harry Nzeusseu imposed his will inside the paint for the second-seeded Cebu and led the squad, which will face Liman in the quarterfinals, with nine points.

Brandon Ramirez also used his large frame to his advantage and added seven points, while Huang finished with two.

Tallo was held to just three points, but his last two were all that mattered.

Lhagvaa and Batzayaa Tsermaa each finished with six points for Zavkhan, the first team knocked out of competition among the four-squad-strong Mongolian delegation.

Enkhsaikhan Bayarsaikhan made four markers, while Munkhtur Khureltogoo finished with three.

Liman sealed the top seed in Pool C with a 20-13 win over Warsaw.

Meanwhile, Ulaanbaatar took the top seed in Pool D with a 22-17 win against cross-country rival Zaisan, assuring that a Mongolian team will be in the quarterfinals.

The result also gave life to Manila Chooks' playoff bid as they will face Zaisan later Saturday for the last quarterfinal spot.

The Scores:

Pool C Game 2:

Liman 20 - Kilijan 6, Vasic 6, Ratkov 4, Kojic 4.

Warsaw 13 - Pawlowski 6, Zamojski 4, Rduch 2, Diduszko 1.

Pool D Game 2

Ulaanbaatar 22 - Enkhbat 8, Sir 5, Tsogt 5, Davaasambuu 4.

Zaisan 17 - Chuluunbaatar 10, Gantsolmon 4, Nyamdorj 3, Batsaikhan 0.

Time: Sir 2 (8:45)

Pool A Game 3

Cebu 21 - Nzeusseu 9, Ramirez 7, Tallo 3, Huang 2.

Zavkhan 19 - Tsermaa 6, Lhagvaa 6, Bayarsaikhan 4, Khureltogoo 3.

Time: Tallo 2 (9:20)

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno