Gilas 3X3 off to fiery Asiad start

NAGOYA – From a mere one-month training, the Gilas Men’s 3x3 showed up and showed out, scoring an opening-day double over Mongolia and Sri Lanka to jumpstart its campaign in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games here.

Former UAAP Mythical Team member Nic Cabañero, now seeing action for Biñan in the MPBL, spearheaded the charge for coach Patrick Fran’s charges who wasted no time making their presence felt in Group A at the Kinjo Futo Station Square.

Backed by a cheering Filipino gallery led by PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio and commissioner Fritz Gaston, Cabañero and teammates Koji Buenaflor, Manuel Pablo and David Dungo went to work.

Cabañero unloaded seven points, Buenaflor added six and Pablo and Dungo chipped in three each as Gilas clobbered Mongolia, 19-12, in the high-noon tiff. Two hours later, they were back on the court and at it again, blasting Sri Lanka, 21-12, with Cabañero again at the forefront with eight.

“We just gave the best we could,” said Cabañero.

Up next for Gilas is Kazakhstan tomorrow for a shot at a group sweep.

Chemistry was never an issue, said the 6-foot-7 Buenaflor from UST.

“We trained for one month, pero wala naman problema sa chemistry since we know each other from our collegiate games,” he said. Pablo and Dungo both hail from La Salle.

Meanwhile, the Gilas Belles launch their own bid today in the Under-23 tournament, facing Mongolia at 12 noon then Macao at 2:05 p.m. in Group C before taking on Malaysia tomorrow.

Comprising the women’s team are Long Beach State’s six-foot standout Ka Kennan, FEU’s Amyah Espanol and Maria Pasilang and Ateneo’s Kacey dela Rosa.