Cebu Cebu Chooks memberd pise with PBA legend Benjie Paras during the awarding ceremony.

Cebu Chooks books ticket to HK

November 22, 2022 Robert Andaya 447 views

STA.ROSA, Laguna — Cebu Chooks is going to the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Hong Kong Masters, after all.

Cebu Chooks, the country’s top-ranked 3×3 team, brought down Manila Chooks, 20-18, in a tight and exciting finals to sweep the 2022 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Quest 2.0 at the Ayala Malls Solenad here Sunday.

Mac Tallo showed the way with nine points, and Mike Harry Nzeusseu provided seven points to power Cebu Chooks to victory over Manila and the top prize of P100,000. for ruling the Level-7 FIBA 3×3 event.

More importantly, Cebu Chooks Cebuesrned the right to represent the country in the FIBA 3X3 World Tour Hong Kong Masters on Nov. 26-27.

Cebu Chooks will join Serbia’s Ub and Liman; Belgium’s Antwerp; Latvia’s Riga; the Netherlands’ Amsterdam; Austria’s Vienna; Lithuania’s Šakiai Gulbele; Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy; China’s Beijing; Chinese-Taipei’s Kaohsiung; Indonesia’s Yogyakarta Gojek; and four Hong Kong teams in the tournament servcing as the last stop before the Abu Dhabi Final.

Cebu needs to win the tournament to advance to Abu Dhabi.

“Yung no .1 na title, pwedeng makuha ng kahit sino. Pero yung championship mahirap makuha,” said Tallo, ofthe country’s no.1 3×3 player, after thew game.

“I’m happy that we redeemed ourselves from our disappointing losses back in the Riyadh Masters,” added Tallo. who hit back-to-back deuces that pulled his side within two points of clinching the match, 19-12, with 2:10 remaining

Brandon Ramirez chipped in three points and Marcus Hammonds had one.

Dennis Santos led Manila with 10 points, while Henry Iloka and Dave Ando combined for seven points in a losing effort.

Manila Chooks, the country’s No. 2 team, earned P30,000.

Before reaching the finals, Cebu Chooks and Manila Chooks defeated their respective semifinal opponents.

Cebu Chooks dominated Talisay EGS, 21-6 while Manila Chooks outclassed Butuan Chooks 21-15.

Cebu Chooks, which escaped Botolan Hayati in the quarters before mauling Talisay EGS to reach the final, will now turn its attention to next week’s World Tour Masters leg — the last leg before the World Tour Final in Abu Dhabi.

PBA legend and Chooks-to-Go endorser Benjie Paras awarded the cash prizes to the winning team Cebu Chooks.

The scores:

Finals

Cebu 20 – Tallo 9, Nzesseu 7, Ramirez 3, Hammonds 1.
Manila 18 – Santos 10, Iloka 4, Ando 3, Lorenzana 1.

Semifinals 1

Cebu 21 – Tallo 15, Hammonds 4, Nzeusseu 1, Ramirez 1.
Talisay 6 – Roncal 5, Akomo 1, Desiderio 0, Napao 0.

Semifinals 2

Manila 21 – Iloka 16, Lorenzana 2, Santos 2, Ando 1.
Butuan 15 – Cauilan 6, Octobre 5, Strait 2, Arafat 2.

Pool A Game 5

Butuan 16 – Arafat 5, Cauilan 5, Octobre 4. Strait 2.
Makati 11 – Diokno 7, Sario 2, Pableo 1, Morales 1.

Pool B Game 5

Talisay 17 – Napao 5, Roncal 5, Desiderio 4, Akomo 3.
Quezon City 12 – Laminou 6, Fuentes 5, Delfinado 1, Rosales 0.

Pool A Game 6

Cebu 21 – Hammonds 9, Tallo 5, Nzeusseu 4, Ramirez 3.
Botolan 18 – Anderson 7, Gozum 5, Ndong 4, Kapunan 2.

Pool B Game 6

Manila 21 – Iloka 9, Santos 8, Ando 3, Lorenzana 1.
Gen San 10 – Talan 5, Catipay 3 Deles 1, Mendoza 1.

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