The Nationals gained ground in that quest as it improved one spot in the latest FIBA world rankings, climbing from 38th to 37th place.

Fresh from a sweep of the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers where it clobbered Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei by a combined 83 points, the Philippines leapfrogged African nation Nigeria for the 37th spot.

Despite the rise, Gilas Pilipinas still remained the eighth-highest ranked team in Asia-Oceania behind No. 5 Australia, No. 21 New Zealand, No. 26 Japan, No. 27 Iran, No. 28 Lebanon, No. 29 China, and No. 32 Jordan.

Only Australia made a movement after ceding the fourth spot to Serbia as the rest stayed at their respective spots.

World No. 1 USA, No. 2 Spain, and No. 3 Germany kept their places, while Latvia enjoyed the biggest jump among the top 10 teams, improving from No. 8 to No. 6 by surpassing Americas powerhouses Canada and Argentina.

Canada and Argentina fell to No. 7 and 8, respectively, followed by No. 9 France and No. 10 Lithuania to round out the top 10.

The Latvians’ ascent spells trouble for the Filipinos ahead of their clash in the Riga, Latvia leg of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July.

Aside from Latvia, the Philippines will also face Georgia, which remained at No. 23. – Rappler.com

Ratliffe said he suited up for Korea for the final time when he powered the squad to a 96-62 win over Thailand to wrap up the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Sunday, February 25.

His decision to hang it up brought to a close a six-year run as naturalized player for Korea.

“I would like to say thank you so much for making me the first foreign player to represent this great country on the international level,” the American-born Ratliffe wrote on Instagram.

“It’s so crazy to me that it has already been six years that I’ve been a member of this team.”

Given the Korean name Ra Guna, Ratliffe started representing the East Asian country in 2018 and went on to become one of the continent’s best big men.

Ratliffe, 35, helped Korea capture a pair of bronze medals in the 2018 Asian Games and 2018 Williams Jones Cup.

He starred for Korea in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, where he finished as tournament leader in scoring and rebounding with averages of 23 points and 12.8 rebounds.

In the current Asia Cup Qualifiers, Ratliffe averaged 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks as Korea ended the first window with a 1-1 record in Group A.

Ratliffe, a former PBA import, will continue to play for the Busan KCC Egis in the Korean Basketball League, although he said his contract will expire by the end of the season.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me since I’m a free agent at the end of this season, but I just wanted to let it be known that I’m forever grateful for this opportunity,” he said.

“Ra Guna out.” – Rappler.com

The Akatsuki Five beat Team Dragon for the first time in nearly 90 years as they hacked out a stunning 76-73 home win to sweep the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Sunday, February 25.

Yudai Baba delivered 24 points on 4-of-6 clip from long distance to go with 4 rebounds and 2 assists to lead Japan to its first win over China since the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, according to FIBA.

Baba, who last played for the Texas Legends in the NBA G League, showed his mettle by scattering one-third of his scoring output in the pivotal fourth quarter as the Akatsuki Five took solo lead in Group C with a 2-0 record.

Naturalized big man Joshua Hawkinson backstopped Baba with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Yuki Kawamura fired 12 points.

Hawkinson came up clutch, turning his own steal to a dunk for a 75-70 lead with 1:10 minutes remaining as Japan fended off a late China rally.

Team Dragon pulled within 73-75 off a Cheng Shuaipeng triple, but Makoto Hiejima sank a free throw for the final tally, forcing China guard Zhu Junlong to take a three-pointer that ultimately missed.

Hu Jinqiu finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds to pace China, which fell to 1-1.

Play Video

– Rappler.com

Hoping to put an end to turbulent buildups for major tournaments, the vision for this version of the national team is to stick through the four-year FIBA cycle, ending with the 2027 World Cup.

The 66-year-old Cone handpicked the team, consisting of PBA and Japan B. League stars, a collegiate superstar, and an aging yet reliable naturalized player. For him, the players he tapped are the best the country could offer.

“I’ve always firmly believed from back in 1998 when I coached the Centennial Team that you’ve got to go out and get the best players in the country to represent us,” said Cone.

“We all have different opinions on who the best players are, but we’re confident we picked the best players who will form the best team.”

Here are Gilas Pilipinas’ magic 12:

Justin Brownlee

Justin Brownlee has made some of the biggest shots in recent local basketball lore.

However, his career came to a screeching halt after testing positive for a banned substance in the Asian Games in October 2023. In that tournament, his herculean performances lifted Gilas to its first continental title in 61 years.

Missing the subsequent PBA Commissioner’s Cup as he served a voluntary suspension, Brownlee returns to the national team as one of Cone’s most trusted soldiers.

Brownlee, with Cone calling the shots, has never lost in any title series, winning six PBA championships with crowd darling Barangay Ginebra. Per league records, he is tied for the most titles by an import in PBA history alongside Alaska legend Sean Chambers.

Brownlee has also led Gilas to the 2023 Southeast Asian Games crown, regaining the regional title the country lost in 2022 via shocker against Indonesia.

The 35-year-old star stepped aside for NBA star Jordan Clarkson’s inclusion in the World Cup team before Cone tapped him in the Asian Games less than a month later.

Playing in the Philippines since 2016, Brownlee became a naturalized Filipino in January 2023.

Scottie Thompson

Another one of Cone’s players, the 30-year-old Scottie Thompson will look to provide stability in the point guard position for Gilas.

Cone picked Thompson in the 2015 PBA Draft, shaping him into one of the league’s best players.

Thompson was named the PBA MVP in 2022, before falling short of his back-to-back bid as he finished third in MVP voting last year, according to the final tally released by the league press corps.

Thompson struggled to find his groove in the World Cup, averaging only 1.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 12.5 minutes per game, according to the FIBA website.

The University of Perpetual Help product redeemed himself in the Asian Games, where he bumped up his numbers under the tutelage of Cone.

As the only natural point guard on the 12-man list, Thompson’s familiarity with Cone’s system should pay dividends as the FIBA cycle progresses.

June Mar Fajardo

Undoubtedly the greatest Filipino player of this generation, June Mar Fajardo will embark on, perhaps, his last ride with the national team.

Fajardo, who will be 37 years old by the time the 2027 World Cup unfolds, remains one of the most dominant players in the PBA.

Fajardo was named the PBA MVP once more in 2023, bagging his seventh plum in eight seasons. No one in history has ever won more than four.

The San Miguel superstar was pivotal in Gilas’ wins against Iran in the Asian Games quarterfinals, China in the semis, and Jordan in the finals.

Fajardo, the most experienced player in the bunch with three World Cup appearances, offers Cone an imposing presence inside through all of his 6-foot-10 frame.

Kai Sotto

Few players in the world can tower over Kai Sotto.

The 7-foot-3 titan has been a Filipino wunderkind for the longest time. After not hearing his name in the NBA Draft, Sotto took his talents to Australia’s NBL and Japan B. League, where he has been playing for the past two seasons.

Now, Sotto will return to the national squad with a chip on his shoulder following lackluster outings in the World Cup.

Sotto averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in the World Cup as his minutes plummeted to just 14 per game.

The 21-year-old Sotto also saw action in the 2023 NBA Summer League where he played two games and tallied a combined 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, per league records. It was also there that Sotto sustained a back injury that almost ruled him out of the World Cup.

After fully recovering from the injury, Sotto has been averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the B. League, according to league records.

AJ Edu

AJ Edu was a revelation in the World Cup.

The Toyama Grouses import averaged 8.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in five games with the national team. His rebounding was also the seventh-highest in the tournament, behind some of the world’s best players.

Edu’s brightest highlight came in his debut game, impressing with his defense on perennial NBA All-Star Karl Anthony Towns in the loss to the Dominican Republic.

But the injury bug continues to hound the 24-year-old as he tore his meniscus last November while playing for the Grouses in the Japan B. League.

His injury, however, did not stop Cone from tapping him on his 12-man roster, citing long-term vision. His recovery time was initially for at least three months, per reports.

In his 14 games for Toyama so far, Edu averaged 13 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Dwight Ramos

Perhaps the face of the Gilas program will continue to represent the country for years to come.

Dwight Ramos has become a mainstay for Gilas Pilipinas since his arrival in the Philippines. In fact, he was the lone player to see action in all of the FIBA qualifier windows in the last cycle.

He shone bright in his first World Cup, notching 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals.

Ramos has been playing in Japan since 2021, jumping from Toyama to the Levanga Hokkaido last season.

As of writing, he is averaging a career-high 10.5 points per game, alongside 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

CJ Perez

After being a late call-up for the Asian Games, CJ Perez returns to the national team as one of its offensive spark plugs.

After a standout Asian Games run, Perez has since been neck-and-neck with Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger for the Best Player of the Conference race in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup so far as his San Miguel Beermen compete in a best-of-7 finals series.

The Lyceum of the Philippines product has been a part of two World Cups.

Chris Newsome

Chris Newsome was cut from the World Cup team before impressing in the Asian Games where he was instrumental as a defensive ace in the gold medal game.

Newsome limited Jordan’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to just 24 points on 29 shots in the gold medal match, displaying his two-way chops for the Cone-mentored Gilas.

Now, the Meralco Bolts star will don the Gilas jersey once more to continue what he started at the tail end of last year.

After getting FIBA clearance to play as a local in 2022, Newsome only got to play in one window of the World Cup qualifiers before being one of the final cuts in the World Cup.

At 33 years old, Newsome remains one of the most athletic players in the country.

Calvin Oftana

Calvin Oftana is entering his basketball prime. The 28-year-old averaged 21.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in the last PBA Commissioners’ Cup for the TNT Tropang Giga.

First called up for Gilas in 2020, Oftana was one of the cuts in the World Cup, before winning gold in the Asian Games.

Oftana had since taken the lead role for the Tropang Giga in the PBA. He shot an impeccable 49% from the field, 41% from three, and 90% from the free throw line in the last conference.

With his leap into the pro league, Oftana should be primed for a bigger role in this iteration of the national team.

Jamie Malonzo

After missing the latter part of the World Cup and Gilas’ Asiad conquest, Jamie Malonzo is back with the national team.

Malonzo has been one of Cone’s most reliable weapons in Ginebra. Malonzo recorded 15.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in the past PBA Commissioner’s Cup, where he was a consistent starter for the team.

The former La Salle standout provides more than just numbers, as he was often designated to be the primary defender against imports for length, athleticism, and quickness.

Malonzo, however, sustained a knee injury in the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals but has since been relieved of any major scare after initial fears of any structural damage.

The 27-year-old is expected to recover in time for the first window of FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.

Kevin Quiambao

Kevin Quiambao has been one of the fastest rising stars in local basketball.

Quiambao has recently led Strong Group Athletics to a bridesmaid finish in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Tournament. He was the top scorer in the team headlined by NBA veteran Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and Andre Roberson, norming 18 points per game, per tournament data.

He was named to the All-Tournament team and even received offers to play as a naturalized player for the United Arab Emirates national team.

This came after his stellar UAAP Season 86 run, where he both received the season and finals MVPs after leading the De La Salle Green Archers to the championship.

The 22-year-old returns to the national team after brief stints in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup and World Cup qualifier windows.

Carl Tamayo

Fondly remembered for his UAAP performances with the University of the Philippines, Carl Tamayo had since brought his winning pedigree overseas.

Tamayo won the 2022-2023 Japan B. League championship with the Ryukyu Golden Kings in his first season as a pro before asking for his release the following season.

He normed 3.9 points, and 2.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes over 23 games in his second year with the Golden Kings.

Tamayo impressed in his last East Asia Super League game versus the PBA’s Meralco Bolts, going off for 16 points on Philippine soil. Tamayo was also named in the B. League Asia All-Stars in Okinawa.

The former NU high school star made his Gilas debut in 2021 and had been a part of the national squad in numerous tournament windows and the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. – Rappler.com

Must Read

FAST FACTS: New-era Gilas Pilipinas begins 2024 FIBA cycle with Asia Cup qualifiers

Besides starting a four-year FIBA cycle, the national team will turn the page on another chapter – now with a permanent head coach, Tim Cone, and a 12-man roster planned to carry the torch until the next World Cup. 

After capturing the Philippines’ first Asian Games gold medal in men’s basketball in 61 years, Gilas looks to carry a sizeable momentum heading into the Asia Cup qualifiers. 

Here are some facts about the new-era Gilas and the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, based on the FIBA website:

Key dates

The first window of the Asia Cup qualifiers is slated for February 22 and 25, 2024, in a home-away format. 

Clustered in Group B, Gilas Pilipinas will face Hong Kong on the road on the 22nd at 8 pm Manila time. The Filipinos will then host the Chinese Taipei on the 25th at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City at 7:30 pm. 

Group B also includes Oceania powerhouse New Zealand, which Gilas will face in the November 2024 tournament window.

Tournament format

The 24 teams across six groups will compete for 16 FIBA Asia Cup slots. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the Asia Cup, while the six third-placed teams will still have to go through another qualifying tournament for the final remaining spots.

Like any team in the qualifiers, Gilas will play one home and one road game against each team in its group. 

Games will be played over three windows from February 2024, November 2024, and February 2025. Each team holds the right to change lineups in each of the windows. 

The FIBA Asia Cup will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2025.

Teams to watch out for

As the name suggests, the Asia Cup is FIBA’s top tournament to showcase the best teams of the continent, albeit with two Oceania mainstays in Australia and New Zealand.

Incidentally, the two aforementioned countries have always been top-level contenders that Gilas and the rest of Asia have always been wary of, and the 2024-2025 cycle is no exception.

Ranked No. 4 and No. 21 in the world, respectively, Australia and New Zealand are actually the Asia Cup’s highest-seeded teams, with Japan being mainland Asia’s top team at No. 26.

Along with No. 28 Lebanon, No. 29 China, and No. 32 Jordan, these six countries ranked above No. 38 Philippines and are the consistent barometers for excellence in the continent.

Should Gilas qualify for the eighth straight time – a period spanning 19 years – these nations should immediately be on top of the team’s watchlist while also keeping a close eye on the countries ranked below, like South Korea, Indonesia, and Chinese Taipei.

New beginning

Tim Cone, the PBA’s winningest coach, will be at the national team’s helm, while team manager Richard del Rosario will be Gilas’ team manager. 

The 12-man roster includes PBA stars June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, Jamie Malonzo, CJ Perez, and Japan B-League imports Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and Carl Tamayo. 

Rounding up the team are UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao and the returning Justin Brownlee, who recently got his FIBA clearance to play in the qualifiers after a voluntary suspension over his use of a banned substance in the Asian games. 

However, the team is expected to parade only 11 players in the first window as Edu remains sidelined with a torn meniscus. – Rappler.com

Must Read

Revelations, old hands: ‘Best 12’ banner Gilas Pilipinas 4-year roadmap

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced on Saturday, February 3, that FIBA – just in time for the first 2025 Asia Cup qualifiers window – has cleared the naturalized Filipino of his anti-doping violation during the Hangzhou Asian Games, where Gilas snapped a 61-year, gold-medal drought.

“We’re elated that the consequences FIBA issued does not prevent Justin Brownlee to play for Gilas in the upcoming window,” said SBP president Al Panlilio. “Having him as our naturalized player alongside some of our locals that he has already played with before will be beneficial to the squad.”

Brownlee has been given a “Notice of Charge carrying a proposed three-month Period of Ineligibility,” and due to his voluntary suspension since the violation surfaced last November 9, he will only be suspended until Thursday, February 8.

Per an SBP source, Brownlee immediately signed a document confirming his voluntary suspension, which set in motion FIBA’s retroactive verdict.

During his three-month period of inactivity, Brownlee’s club team Barangay Ginebra moved on with Tony Bishop as its import in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, where the Gin Kings eventually got swept in three semifinal games by sister team San Miguel.

Ginebra’s loss is the Philippines’ gain, however, as Brownlee may now suit up right back into his blue and white colors starting this February 22 in Hong Kong, to be followed by a home court return on February 25 at the PhilSports Arena against Chinese Taipei. – Rappler.com

“We were told that it would come in anytime this week. So we’re hoping that he gets the lowest level of suspension which is a three-month period,” new SBP executive director Erika Dy told reporters on Tuesday, January 30.

“That three month period will end on February 8. So that’s just in time for this window, that’s what we’re hoping for,” she added.

Brownlee, who has been out of the public eye since then, may see his long layoff from basketball as retroactive through the voluntary suspension provision.

The beloved Ginebra import was found to have tested positive for a banned substance, Carboxy-THC, right after Gilas Pilipinas’ historic Asian Games gold medal win in October 2023, the International Testing Agency announced.

The Philippine Olympic Committee said the substance may have been found on Brownlee’s medication after recovering from foot surgery in June 2023.

Nevertheless, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association awards night on Monday, January 29, that he is “confident” Brownlee would be able to play soon.

Cone, who was named permanent head coach, included his import in the 12-man pool as the national team ramps up its preparations for the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in February.

“We’re confident that Justin will be there. It’s not a lock but we’re confident that he’ll be there. And if necessary, we’ll adjust,” said Cone.

“I mean, we’re not going to make a pool. We will go in a little shorthanded. I’m not the kind of coach who plays 12 guys anyway,” he added.

Gilas will head to Hong Kong and face them on February 22 and defend home court against Chinese Taipei on February 25 at the PhilSports Arena.

The 11 other pool members include Japan B. League standouts Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, Carl Tamayo, and AJ Edu, the latter likely to be out due to another knee injury.

UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao is also included in the pool, as well as Ginebra forward Jamie Malonzo, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Chris Newsome.

“[Cone] really doesn’t believe that he should prepare with injuries,” Dy said.

“It makes sense. We should believe that the 12-man lineup is intact and healthy. That’s what we have to look forward to. But as you’ve said, injuries do happen and we will deal with these injuries as we get there.” – Rappler.com

Down 18-19 in a race to 21 with 1:27 remaining, Fredette swished two straight long bombs, one from each side, to steal the victory and the $40,000 cash prize.

FIBA 3×3 WORLD TOUR CEBU MASTERS | FINAL:

JIMMER MANIA IN SUGBO!

Jimmer Fredette nails the game winning two-pointer to give Miami its first World Tour title at the expense of Vienna!#3x3WT #3x3WTCebu pic.twitter.com/1pvmfjboZu

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 24, 2023

Fredette also took home the Most Valuable Player honors after pumping in 9 points and 4 for Miami.

Also joining him in the victorious run are Dylan Travis, Kareem Maddox, and Canyon Barry, the son of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry.

It was a nip-and-tuck affair in the one-off final, as the Americans almost failed to sustain a 4-1 start against the Austrian contingent.

Vienna led by as many as 4, 14-10, with 4:03 left, following two free throws from Matthias Linortner.

Barry then caught fire by unleashing two straight from downtown to lead 15-14, which was followed up by two layups to push the advantage 17-14.

He finished with 8 points for the United States.

After a deuce from Vienna to come within 18-17, a foul led to a pair of free throws by Linortner.

The quartet of Linortner, Quincy Diggs, Nico Kaltenbrunner, and Enis Murati will take home $30,000 after making it to the World Tour leg finals for the first time ever as well.

Miami upset world no. 1 Ub in the semifinals, 21-13 (3:17), while Vienna ousted Amsterdam, 19-18, courtesy of a buzzer-beating floater by Diggs.

FIBA 3×3 WORLD TOUR CEBU MASTERS | SEMIFINALS:

Quincy Diggs’ buzzer-beating floater against Amsterdam sends Vienna to its first World Tour final of the season!

They will face Miami, which is also a first timer in the finals.#3x3WT #3x3WTCebu pic.twitter.com/5gLhdpXszG

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 24, 2023

In the side events, Rafael “Lipek” Lipinski won $4,000 after nosing out David “Air” Carlos in the final round.

FIBA 3×3 WORLD TOUR CEBU MASTERS | DUNK CONTEST:

Rafael “Lipek” Lipinski wins $4,000 after nosing out David “Air” Carlos.#3x3WT #3x3WTCebu pic.twitter.com/j65SK8Kgmm

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 24, 2023

Meanwhile, Ulaanbaatar’s Steve Sir got $500 after winning the shootout contest final, where he only missed a handful of shots.

In the lone Philippine game of the day, Manila Chooks were booted out of the knockout quarterfinal by Ub, 21-14 (1:21).

Marko Brankovic hit the game winning hits from the charity stripe, following on a tip-in, to give the Serbians a semifinals berth.

Leading early, 5-3, Manila Chooks was not able to sustain its lead and trailed by as many as 7, which was the final margin.

Marcus Hammonds and Marquez Letcher-Ellis contributed 5 points apiece for Manila Chooks. — Rappler.com

Mac Tallo, the top 3×3 player in the country, lifted Manila Chooks to victory after hitting the game-winning deuce from the left wing.

It also ended a 15-month Masters losing streak for a Philippine team that is looking to rack up enough points to make it to the Paris 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year.

The Cebuano guard, backed by scores of his compatriots watching inside the mall, made the key plays down the stretch.

He ended up with a team-high 9 points, including some highlight-worthy passes that led to big buckets late and the final three points by his own hand.

Manila Chooks, which is comprised of Tallo, Marcus Hammonds, Marquez Letcher-Ellis, and Tosh Sesay, will need all the effort it could muster as it will face the world’s top 3×3 team, Serbia’s Ub, in the knockout quarterfinals on Sunday, September 24.

During its first assignment, Manila was not able to sustain its hot start and fell against the world No. 5 3×3 team Vienna of Austria, 20-14.

Following a Hammonds two-pointer that hiked the lead of the locals, 10-5, Vienna responded with an 8-1 run capped off by consecutive hits from rainbow country by Nico Kaltenbrunner, 13-11.

After a Mac Tallo layup that bridged the gap to one, 13-12, the Viennese uncorked 7 unanswered points to pull away.

Tallo nailed a meaningless two-pointer just before the buzzer to lower the final margin.

On the other hand, after beating Auckland and Taichung in the qualification draw to claim the 12th and final spot in the main draw, Lubao surrendered both of its assignments to Miami and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar, respectively, to bow out.

The team was represented by PBA 3×3 stalwart TH Tumalip, along with former Lyceum Pirate Mike Nzeusseu, Spaniard Jose Blázquez, and Croatian Stanko Kujundžić.

Former NBA lottery pick Jimmer Fredette ended the contest at the 2:29 mark from downtown to give the Americans a 22-15 victory over the Filipinos.

In the final game of the night, the Mongolians sent the Pampanga-based squad packing, 21-17 (1:13).

Other teams that qualified to the quarterfinals include Miami; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ulaanbaatar; Amsterdam; Vienna, and China’s Wuxi. — Rappler.com

Serbia’s Ub Huishan, bannered by Olympian Dejan Majstorovic, leads several top 10 teams vying for the crown and the top prize of $40,000.  

Netherlands’ Amsterdam, Austria’s Vienna, the United States’ Miami, and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar also stand favored along with China, which will be reinforced by Dutch Olympian Dimeo van der Horst. 

Defending home turf is Manila Chooks, led by Cebuano Mac Tallo, along with Marcus Hammonds, Marquez Letcher-Ellis, and Tosh Sesay.

Wuxi, another Chinese team; Sansar, also a second Mongolian squad; and Puerto Rico’s San Juan look to mix it up with the rest of the field. 

Tallo, now the highest-ranked 3×3 player in the Philippines, is adamant on improving their listless finish last year, where they ended up winless.

“Hopefully, with God’s will, we’d be given a victory so that after the Cebu Masters, we can arrest our slump,” said Tallo during a media availability organized by Chooks-to-Go.

Manila Chooks will kick off its bid against Austria’s Vienna in Pool C at 4:20 pm Saturday, before taking on China’s Futian at 8:20 pm.

Meanwhile, Pampanga-based Lubao; Auckland, New Zealand; and Taichung, Chinese Taipei will duke it out in the qualifying draw to complete the 12-team face-off.

Aside from the cash prize for the champion, the tournament runner-up will also take home $30,000, the third-placer $22,000, and the fourth-placed team $16,000.

Former NBA lottery pick Jimmer Fredette, who played in the NBA for six seasons before heading overseas, relishes the experience of playing the official half-court variant of basketball.

“I’ve been playing for the last four, five months… it’s been great. We’ve been able to experience a lot of cool places all over the world,” said Fredette.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s super exciting to be able to play here, and hopefully we’ll be able to further our season.”

Fredette, representing the US along with teammates Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox, and Dylan Travis, fell against Serbia in the gold-medal match of the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup held in the Austrian capital last June.  – Rappler.com