Chooks 3x3 eyes naturalized player

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu Chooks and Manila Chooks will not rest on their laurels to further develop in the international stage after going head-to-head with the world’s best teams in the Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 Cebu Masters last week.

Hell bent on turning Philippine 3x3 teams to world-class talents, Chooks’ next order of business is ensuring a competitive squad with the presence of a naturalized player sooner than later.

“That’s the immediate plan,” said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas, who has tasked retired player and now full-time trainer Chico Lanete for the search of possible candidates.

There are no definite details yet as of now but the potential Philippine reinforcement is likely to come from Europe, which is the undisputed benchmark of 3x3 basketball in the world.

Currently, the top five 3x3 players are from Serbia led by Strahinja Stojacic of Ub, which is also the No. 1 team. Serbia is the top 3x3 federation while Latvia (Riga) is the reigning Olympic champion.

Ub solidified that stature by winning the Manila Masters last May while Riga followed suit with a conquest of the just-concluded Cebu Masters.

Cebu Chooks and Manila Chooks, for their part, finished in the Top 8 of the Manila Masters over the weekend while missing out on the knockout playoffs of the Cebu Masters.

Chooks’ plan of tapping a naturalized player is aimed at shoring up its rankings to make it in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and the Paris Olympics proper in 2024 – as its ultimate goal.

“We are not giving up on the ultimate objective that in the 2024 Paris Olympics, a Philippine team will qualify,” said Mascariñas.