Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 league owner Ronald Mascariñas welcomed the development that the players in his league are in consideration for the Men’s National 3×3 Basketball Team for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“As I said in the past, we are offering the players in our league to the country, the SBP and any other entity that will need 3×3 top players to represent the country in any international tournament,” he said.
“This means that all players who played in our Chooks-to-Go league and are ranked in FIBA 3X3 are available.”
During the unveiling of the new logos of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and Gilas Pilipinas, Gilas 3×3 program head Ronnie Magsanoc shared that the players of the first-of-its-kind league should be part of the national team pool.
“That is also an option. Yung mga nasa Chooks-to-Go, most of them have made it to the top one-hundred already,” Magsanoc said.
“They will always be considered even a part of the pool because of their ranking.”
Besides having the country’s top 20 players, the league also significantly helped raise the country’s Federation rankings. From no. 58 in the world to start the year, the men’s team is now at the lower 30s as of April.
And it is expected to go higher with the import-laden second conference, the Patriots’ Cup, and the development of two pro teams that are focused on playing in FIBA 3×3-sanctioned tourneys.
“Napakalaking bagay ng ginagawa nila. Hindi pa nagagawa yun eh, pero sila nagawa nila,” Magsanoc continued.
Mascariñas appreciates the Magsanoc’s praise. But for him, it’s not about what the brand is doing, since all of this is for the country.
“I appreciate the kind words of Coach Ronnie as we both share a common objective for the country. All work being done is for the country to qualify in the 2020 Olympics and to give a new avenue for the Filipino basketball player. This can only be good for 3×3 basketball,“ he said.
“Whatever the SBP needs for 3×3 basketball, we will be there to support.”
