FIBA 3X3 World Tour Cebu Masters: Chooks Philippine teams fall in double heartbreaker    

CEBU, Philippines — ‘Twas a double heartbreaker for Team Philippines as both Cebu and Manila Chooks! faltered in their respective campaigns in the 2022 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 World Tour Cebu Masters over the weekend at SM City Seaside.

Manila Chooks! actually got off to a flying start via a 21-17 triumph over India’s Ludhiana.

But immediately thereafter they bowed out of the qualifying draw following a 21-16 defeat to Doha QSC of Qatar.

It wasn’t the kind of farewell that playing coach Chico Lanete had hoped for.

Lanete is hanging up his basketball sneakers for good and had played the final game of a decorated pro career that spanned for over 15 years.

Like their Manila comrades, Cebu Chooks! suffered the same fate.

Bannered by Cebu’s pride Mac Tallo and Zach Huang, Cebu Chooks! fell at the hands of world no.3 Antwerp of Belgium, 16-11, in their opening assignment.

Cebu Chooks! eventually crashed out of the tournament after dropping a tough 21-14 loss at the hands of a hot-shooting Omaha 3Ball of the United States.

The hometown bets crumbled under the Americans’ pinpoint accuracy from two-point distance, so much so that they trailed by as much as seven points with less than four minutes to go, eventually failing to book a ticket to the quarterfinals.

It sure is a heartbreaking setback for Chooks 3x3 per se as none of the program’s teams advanced to the next round, a far cry from the Manila Masters last May that saw both Cebu and Manila reach the knockouts.