CALAMBA, LAGUNA — The country’s no. 2 3×3 basketball player Alvin Pasaol has competed all over the world.
Representing the country in FIBA 3×3 tournaments held in Doha, Moscow, Haining, Jeju, and Jeddah last year, he realized one thing — world 3×3 basketball is a lot more physical than its 5-on-5 counterpart.
In fact, despite standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing almost 220 pounds, the Davaoeno has been ragdolled in games against Europeans — who have dominated the sport in the last decade.
“Hindi larong pambata to. Magkaiba ang 5-on-5 at 3×3,” opined the 25-year-old Pasaol. “Sa international, lahat matitigas, hindi nagpapabalya.
“Kaya kailangan matapang ka, kailangan matigas katawan mo. The way you play the game, kailangang mentally tough ka parati.”
That is why Pasaol is surprised with the reaction on social media regarding the games in the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup powered by TM.
Many said that it is no longer basketball since the defense have been too close for comfort while scuffles have happened during the preseason and the first two legs of the FIBA 3X3-endorsed tournament.
In the second leg alone, Pasaol and good pal Santi Santillan of Family’s Brand Sardines-Zamboanga City Chooks figured in a scuffle with Nueva Ecija’s Gab Banal and Tonino Gonzaga.
Pasaol admitted that he just backed up his friend when he saw him fall down.
“Hindi mo pwedeng tignan lang yung kasama mo na aapihin ng iba. Kailangan mong tulungan yung kasama mo e. Nakita mong nadapa yung kasama mo e, kailangan mo siyang itayo,” said Pasaol, who had a game-high nine points in their 21-11 win over the Rice Vanguards in the finale.
“Sa akin lang naman, normal na yun. Kilala ko naman si Gab, nandun yung pisikal niya sa court, pero paglabas naman ng court, magkaibigan kami, walang masama ang loob,” added Santillan, who chipped in seven markers in the contest.
After the game, there’s no hard feelings between the two squads — even laughing together on the floor as the buzzer sounded.
“Ganiyan naman talaga 3×3, pisikalan. Pagdating naman sa labas, magkakaibigan, magbabarkada pa rin,” said Pasaol.
At the end of the day, Pasaol, Santillan, Joshua Munzon, and Troy Rike are using this tournament to train for the ultimate competition — the 2021 FIBA 3X3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament which is set to be held in Graz, Austria in May.
“Eto na yung training ground namin, kumbaga, para pagdating sa OQT, makakalaban tayo.”
