Out of the players who competed during the golden run of the Philippines during the 2014 FIBA 3×3 World Tour and the silver finish of the country a year later, only Troy Rosario — who was part of the team that competed in Abu Dhabi — was part of the four-man squad that will compete in the 2018 FIBA 3×3 World Cup.
Joining Rosario are Christian Standhardinger, Roger Pogoy, and Stanley Pringle.
But when the team was unveiled Sunday evening at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, many wondered why Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva were not included.
Romeo, a 5-foot-11 gunner, was the most outstanding player during the 2014 World Tour; while Abueva, who stands at 6-foot-2, was a revelation in the 3×3 game during that time. And both have been vocal about wanting to join the team that will compete in the Philippine Arena from June 8-12.
According to head coach Ronnie Magsanoc, the reason why he and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chose the quartet was due to the element of surprise they will bring.
“Natural po yan maski na anong line-up ang piliin natin, meron po silang kaniya-kaniyang gusto. I’m sure marami ring naghahanap kay Calvin,” he said when asked about the non-inclusion of Romeo.
“It was a collective decision based on a lot of things, but the eventual decision was really to build a younger unit.
“But only two things I think that we’ll have the advantage, if I may say advantage dahil we’re ranked number 19 out of the 20 teams, is the element of surprise, one, and number two, the home court advantage,” the NCAA champion coach added. “And hopefully the four who are chosen for the team, hindi pa nakikita ng mga kalaban natin na naglalaro dahil sila, buong taon naglalaro for the last three to five years.
“So we’re banking on that and hopefully it will work to all of us.“
Moreover, Magsanoc believes that the four players they chose can guard multiple positions and have multi-faceted games.
“Siguro, hindi lang namin tiningnan yung kakayahan nila sa basketball in general, kung hindi yung ability ng mga players that we chose to fit in on the 3×3 mold, kasi magkaiba eh,” explained the newly-instilled tactician.
“And we felt that it’s not only offense that we’re looking at, but also the ability to guard and defend multiple positions based on the four teams that we will be facing. Lahat kasi tayo, geared na doon.
“We’re hoping to build dito sa mga apat na pangalan, based on the needs and yung quality na kaya nating ilaban sa mga makakaharap. Kasi kung ang hahanapin natin ay lakas sa lakas, I don’t think makakatapat tayo. Kung hahanapin natin ay yung ganoong klaseng laro, I don’t think makakalusot tayo sa ngayon. Pero siguro may pamamaraan na nakikita kami na kayang gawin noong apat to be more competitive at that level,” he closed.
