Travis Franklin and Team Philippines will go home empty-handed from the Moscow Challenger. (JF)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – The Philippines will go home empty-handed after Pasig Chooks and Balanga Chooks failed in their respective bids at the FIBA 3X3 Moscow Challenger at Gorky Park Friday evening (Saturday morning in Manila). A very promising day turned to be gloomy as the losses came one after the other.
Earning a spot in the tournament as a wild card, Balanga aimed to show its worthiness by needing only 5:24 to dispose of Odessa of Ukraine in the morning qualifying rounds, 21-9. From a 4-4 deadlock, Balanga went berserk as Karl Dehesa and Alvin Pasaol led the onslaught with Pasaol emerging as the high man with 10 points and outscoring the entire opposition.
It was all downhill from there as Balanga failed to sustain its magic against a familiar foe in local team Moscow Inanomo, 14-21, in a knockout game for a spot in the main draw. The best that they could do was tie the count at 3-3 all courtesy of Dehesa but the Russians proved too strong as they avenged their 19-20 overtime loss to Balanga in the group stages of last April’s World Tour Masters in Doha, Qatar.
The same fate beset Pasig Chooks as the world’s 24th best team fell to unheralded Antwerp of Belgium, 14-21, in Group B of the main draw. A tentative start and early foul trouble tolled heavily on the Filipinos as the Belgians put up a devastating display of shooting prowess with seven two-pointers to jump to the17-8 advantage and coasted to the win.
The loss forced Pasig into a must-win situation against Riga of Latvia who wasted no time by showing why they are the world’s third best team and tournament second seed with the 21-17 win and officially eliminate the Filipinos. Just like in their earlier game, a poor start and foul trouble hampered their cause.
Still, Pasig gave the Latvians a brief scare as a two-pointer from Dylan Ababou followed by a Nikola Pavlovic field goal cut the gap to only three, 17-20, but that was it as a free throw in the ensuing play abbreviated the contest with 2:06 left on the clock. The heated contest was reminiscent of their first meeting in the Doha Masters wherein Riga eliminated Pasig in the quarterfinals, 21-15.
Both Pasig and Balanga will now make the long flight back home and prepare for the Chooks To Go Pilipinas 3X3 Patriots Cup presented by Coca-Cola scheduled to blast off on June 16 at the SM Seaside City Cebu. Pasig has also been invited to participate in another FIBA 3X3 Challenger to be hosted by Poitiers, France from July 5 to 6.
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