Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said that they have already tasked Ronnie Magsanoc to form the Gilas Pilipinas crew that will see action in the 2020 FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
The PBA legend, who has been the federation’s 3×3 program director for two years now, has been appointed last week to be the head coach of the Philippine side in the showpiece scheduled on March 18-22 to be held in India.
“We have tasked him to take a look at the lineup for 3×3,” said Panlilio last Sunday moments after Game Three of the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals between the Meralco Bolts and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel which the latter won.
Panlilio said that players from Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 will be part of the team since the first-of-its-kind league is home to the top 100 3×3 cagers in the country, led by top two players Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol.
And as per FIBA 3×3 rules, four of the six players of the team should be in the top 10 of the country’s rankings.
So the pool Chooks-to-Go unveiled last week is made up of the country’s top 10 — Munzon, Pasaol, Dylan Ababou, Karl Dehesa, Leonard Santillan, Chris De Chavez, Gab Banal, Jaypee Belencion, Leo De Vera, and Ryan Monteclaro
“Obviously yung mga Chooks-to-Go players will be part of it because they’re the ones in the Top 100,” Panlilio said.
But the amiable executive added there is a possibility that PBA players could also be considered for the team. And it will most likely be the quartet of CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, Jason Perkins, and Chris Newsome that will be added.
The four won gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“There might be some PBA players who will be part of it,” said Panlilio.
“I have to talk to the PBA also about it once we decide who the players will be.”
