After four years, the Philippines is once again back in the FIBA 3X3 World Tour Masters circuit.
And there isn’t just one squad competing in the highest 3×3 basketball competition in the World, as both the Pasig Grindhouse Kings and the 1Bataan Risers have clinched tickets to the Masters event in Doha.
Also representing the Asia Pacific region are Chooks-to-Go 3X3 Asia Pacific Super Quest Champions and 19th-ranked club in the world Tokyo Dime.exe.
Having faced both Philippine squads, Japan’s ace player Tomoyo Ochiai knows that the 3×3 teams in the Philippines are as tough as they come.
“Good fight. It was a physical game, a tough game and I like it,” said the 97th player in the World.
“Filipinos are tough.”
In the group stages, Tokyo Dime outlasted the Risers, 21-17. Then in the semis, they needed to gut out a 15-11 victory over the Kings to face 1Bataan once more.
Once in the final stage, they figured in a 22-20 thriller to book their slot in Doha.
For Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 league owner Ronald Mascarinas, the three teams need to prove to the World that the region can compete with the best and the finest.
“We are out here to prove that the Asia Pacific region is a force to be reckoned with on the world stage,” the amiable executive said.
There will be nine other teams competing in Doha, including Serbia’s Liman (no. 1) and Novi Sad (no. 2); and Lithuania’s Riga Ghetto (no. 3).
For Ochiai, he knows that his team and the two Filipino squads will go all-out come the global meet.
“Filipinos and Japanese will represent Asia. Many European teams, strong teams are coming so we’ll represent Asia,” shared the 31-year-old, who stands at 6-foot-5.
“We’ll both show puso.”
