After falling to their worst-finish 11th place during the third leg, the Max4-Cebu Birada will activate their owner Dondon Hontiveros for the penultimate leg of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup.
The fourth tour will take place on Saturday, March 9, at the SM Megamall Events Center.
But more than the goal of winning, Cebu enlisted the former Gilas Pilipinas stalwart because they want their young guns to learn from him.
“Rey Suerte is already in the D-League, while [Garciano] Puerto and [Nichole] Ubalde want to be there as well. Malaking tulong si Dondon para matuto sila how to act both on and off the court,” said team co-owner John Rubin, who has known Hontiveros since his days in the MBA.
Joining Cebu in this league – that will see its first place finisher with P 1,000,000 and a ticket to the first-ever Asia-Pacific Super Quest – are the Marikina Shoemasters, who will only have three players for the leg, and the Pasay Voyagers.
Two-leg champions 1Bataan Risers will see the return of Sean Manganti. They will be grouped with Carga Valenzuela Classic and the Quezon City-Zark’s Jawbreakers.
And the Risers are expecting another tough tour.
“It’s gonna be harder and tougher. The other teams are going to come after us dahil we won another leg,” said the country’s number two-ranked 3×3 player Anton Asistio.
“Kami yung target nila ngayon kaya mag-preprepare kami harder for the fourth leg. Kailangan pa namin ng toughness,” added the country’s top player Alvin Pasaol.
On the other hand, their foils, the Pasig-Grindhouse Kings, are looking to make up for their heartbreaking loss.
“I want this more than anything. I can’t stand losing,” expressed Pasig’s Taylor Statham. “Me personally, I can’t eat and sleep when I lose. I came here for one reason and one reason only, and that is to play 3×3 and represent the Philippines. I want to be part of the team that goes to the World Tour.”
Expected to give the Kings a tough fight are the surging Vigan Baluarte Wolves and the Bulacan Kuyas.
Completing the cast are the San Juan-Go for Gold Knights, the Bacoor Strikers, and the Zamboanga Valientes MLV who are situated in Group B.
David Carlos is set to compete in the Slam Dunk competition while closing out the festivities is the Three-point Shootout.
League owner Ronald Mascariñas will also make an announcement regarding the status of the league during the opening ceremony at 1:00pm.
