Cebu, Manila Chooks face daunting task

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After making the quarterfinals in the recent Manila leg, local 3x3 bets are determined to go all the way this time with an expected boost from the passionate Cebuano home crowd as they battle the world’s best in the stacked Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 Cebu Masters starting tomorrow.

Up against a tough field led by Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Riga of Latvia in the “biggest international basketball event” in the Queen City of the South, Cebu Chooks and Manila Chooks vow a relentless fight to the finish with hopes of coming out on.

Mac Tallo, Cebu’s proud son, spearheads the bid of Cebu Chooks.

“This is my first time as a pro player to play in Cebu. Ngayon lang uli ako ako nakabalik sa Cebu and this time, I get to represent the country and my hometown,” said Tallo, the Philippines No. 1 3x3 player.

Fellow Cebuanos Dave Ando (Manila Chooks) and Zach Huang (Cebu Chooks) will also be out to electrify the home cowd as the Philippine bets seek to surpass their Top-8 finish in the Manila Masters last May.

Achieving that feat, however, is easier said than done as Manila Chooks needs to go through the qualifying draw first. Cebu Chooks, meanwhile, is in the tough Pool A with Belgium’s Antwerp and the United States’ Omaha.

The event serves as a homecoming for Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 three years after its foundation here.