RR says low scores to favor hosts

MANILA, Philippines — RR Pogoy is counting on the Philippines keeping the scores low to pull off upsets against Brazil and Mongolia in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup at the Philippine Arena today. The host nation is ranked No. 19 among 20 teams in the men’s division.

The 6-2 Pogoy, 25, is in the Philippine lineup with 6-0 Stanley Pringle, 30, 6-7 Troy Rosario, 26 and 6-7 Christian Standhardinger, 28. The game against Brazil is set at 3:10 p.m. and Mongolia at 6:40 p.m.

“Gamay na namin kaunti yung mga play ni coach Ronnie (Magsanoc),” said Pogoy. “Siguro, ang edge namin or ang chance na maka-pasok kami sa quarters ay dapat dedepensa kami lahat. Pababaan ang score yung laro namin.”

The Brazilian squad is made up of 6-0 Will Evangelista, 33, 6-1 Marcellus Sarmento, 30, 6-5 Carlos Silva, Jr., 37 and 6-3 Luiz Soriani, 29. Mongolia’s cast lists 6-3 Delgernyam Davaasambuu, 28, 6-2 Dulguun Enkhbat, 26, 6-6 Tserenbaatar Enkhtaivan, 28 and 6-3 Tsenguunbayar Gotov, 28.

On Monday, the Philippines battles Canada at 4:50 p.m. and Russia at 7 p.m. Canada is bannered by 6-7 Jermaine Bucknor, 34, 6-7 Michael Lieffers, 31, 5-10 Michael Linklater, 35 and 6-5 Steve Sir, 35. Bucknor, a Jamaican-Canadian, played at the University of Richmond and was an import in France, Germany, Argentina and Belgium. He saw action for Canada at the 2010 FIBA World Cup in Turkey. Lieffers was an import in Japan while Linklater was named Most Spectacular Player at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour last year. The US-born Sir led the NCAA Division I in three-point percentage in 2005-06 and shot 46.9% from beyond the arc in his collegiate career, ranking second in the all-time ladder. Sir has played as an import in Switzerland, Germany, Mexico and Romania. Russia’s players are 6-4 Ilya Aleksandrov, 36, 6-5 Maksim Dyborskii, 30, 6-7 Dmitry Korshakov, 27 and 6-5 Viktor Pavlenko, 25.