IT’S the first tournament of the year for the Manila Chooks! 3×3 squad but head trainer Chico Lanete wants his charges to treat it as if it’s their last.

“Ang expectation ko is siyempre ibigay nila iyong best nila. Laging ganoon. Lagi din naman iyan ang advice ko sa kanila to play as if it’s your last game dapat,” Lanete said.

“Stay focus sila at i-apply lahat ng ginagawa namin sa practice. Hindi puwedeng sarili lang nila ang iisipin nila,” he added.

Whether Manila Chooks! heeds Lanete’s challenge will be known when it plunges into action today, March 10, in the FIBA 3X3 Pro League Netherlands 2023 Winter Edition Stop 1 at the Amsterdam Velodrome.

The Philippines’ No. 1 3×3 player Mac Tallo, No. 2 Brandon Ramirez, and No. 3 Dennis Santos take on Amstelveen of Netherlands at 2:55 a.m. before they face world No. 15 Utrecht at 4:35 a.m..

The Filipino 3×3 cagers, who will also field new additions CJ Payawal and Matt Salem, are expected to have their hands full against Utrecht that will be led by towering 7-foot big man Hieronymus van der List, the Dutch’s world No. 56 player.

While Payawal and Salem are still learning to jive with their teammates and adjusting to 3×3 play, Lanete is convinced they have what it takes.

“Very excited sila especially our new players — CJ (Payawal) and Matt (Salem). Although sila din iyong talagang adjusting pa not just sa system but sa 3×3 game din talaga,” he said.

“Pero what I really like about them is iyong attitude nila. Iyong dedication and willingness nilang matuto, nandoon.”

Manila Chooks! has also toughened up under Serbian consultant Milan Isakov from Jan. 15 to Feb. 7.

Other ranked teams in the FIBA level 8 tilt include world No. 5 Amsterdam of the Netherlands, world No. 20 Warsaw of Poland, and world No. 21 Düsseldorf of Germany.

The meet will be made up of three stops and a final, with the winner after three stops will take home $15,000 and a ticket to Manila Masters, while the second and third placers will bag $10,000 and $5,000.

In the final event, the top team will earn $15,000 and a slot to the Macau Masters. The second and third placers will get $7,000 and $5,000, respectively.

Watch the games on Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Facebook page.