On paper, the Pasig Grindhouse Kings should be overwhelming favorites in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup.
Fielding a lineup that includes decorated 6-foot-6 utility Taylor Statham, 6-foot-3 scorer Joshua Munzon, grizzled 6-foot-3 vet Dylan Ababou, and 6-foot-8 post-creator Troy Rike, the Kings tower over the opposition.
However, the results show otherwise. It is the young 1Bataan Risers who have been running roughshod in the tournament, winning two of the three legs so far – although they suffered a 21-19 loss in the finale last Friday at the SM Fairview Events Center.
And after being limited to just six points in the last game of the third leg, Statham was frustrated, immediately heading home to think about what went wrong.
“I can only speak on myself. I feel like I missed a lot of open shots that I usually knock down. And we were struggling a lot of times. The team looks to me to playmake for both offense and defense,” the 26-year-old Filipino-American cager lamented.
“So, I didn’t bring the spark that I usually bring – that’s on me.”
Pasig-Grindhouse had only experienced two losses in 15 games in the tourney. Statham quickly pointed out:
“Two losses? Two too many.”
Statham will only have eight days to recover from this heartbreak, as the fourth leg of the country’s first-ever 3×3 basketball league opens its curtains soon. For his part, he is doing all he can to prepare himself for it – leaving no stones unturned.
“It’s just hard for me to sleep and eat. I’ve been in the gym a lot. I feel like our team is just too good.
“I believe in my teammates so much. I believe in Dylan, Troy, and Josh. All of us, we have different motivations for wanting to win. I’ve been the best small forward in Thailand for a long time. I’ve won championships in four or five countries. Josh is a premier ABL star. Dylan is an MVP in college. Troy played in Division I,” he explained.
“I mean, I feel like a lot of us still have a lot to prove. As a cohesive unit, we need to show that we can play together and that we are deserving of that title of being part of the Philippine team in the World Tour. We can’t afford to lose another game,” he continued.
More than the PHP 100,000 pot or anything other prizes, what Statham and the Kings are trying to prove is that they deserve to be the country’s representatives in the first-ever Chooks-to-Go 3×3 Asia Pacific Super Quest.
“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. I want to make my grandma proud, my family from Iloilo proud,” Statham expressed.
“There’s a lot riding on it for me and it’s bigger than basketball.”
