3x3 U23 teams to World Cup, Asiad

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will be represented in the men’s and women’s divisions of 3x3 U23 at the FIBA World Cup in Wuhan, China, on Sept. 15-19 and Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 20-25 with the lineups nearly complete for both competitions.

The men qualified for the World Cup by virtue of winning the FIBA Nations League Asia 2 U21 conference in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, last July. The crew of San Beda’s Jhuniel de la Rama, UST’s Kenji Buenaflor, Adamson’s Earl Medina and FEU’s Cabs Cabonillas and Jedric Daa topped three of the six stops to clinch the ticket to Wuhan. The women’s squad booked the World Cup ticket by winning three of six stops to capture the FIBA Nations League Asia SEA 3x3 U23 crown also in Petaling Jaya last weekend. The lineup listed FEU’s Amyah Espanol and Victoria Pasilang, UP’s Kennan Ka and Marielle Vingno and Adamson’s Jam Meniano. The women compiled a 12-3 record with the losses all to New Zealand, two of which were avenged. It’s the first time the Philippines qualified for the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup in both men’s and women’s divisions.

Although the men already qualified for the World Cup, SBP sent another team to the FIBA Nations League Asia SEA 3x3 U23 meet and the roster of La Salle’s Luis Pablo and Doy Dungo, Jose Rizal’s Rhyle Melencio, St. Benilde’s Wello Lingolingo and Ateneo’s Andrew Bongo and Shawn Tuano claimed the silver with a 10-5 slate, winning one and finishing second in two of six stops, last weekend. Pablo emerged the highest scorer with 82 points in four games and Dungo wound up second with 63, also in four games. Lingolingo and Tuano compiled 45 points apiece.

SBP 3x3 director Ryan Gregorio said women’s coach Anton Altamirano will select the players for the World Cup and Asian Games from a pool of seven comprising Ka, Espanol, Meniano, Pasilang, Vingno, Ateneo’s Kacey de la Rosa and UP’s Louna Ozar. “We’re strategizing how to prepare for the two tournaments,” said Gregorio. “We’re checking the final schedule in Nagoya. Both are important competitions in my eyes. We can’t disrupt the UAAP schedule. It will be unfair if teams miss their key players in actual games. We’ve carefully curated the schedule so no player will miss UAAP games.”

For the men’s Asian Games, Gregorio said coach Patrick Fran will bring in Dungo, Pablo, Buenaflor and one more to be determined. For the World Cup, it will be Cabonillas, Daa, Medina and one more to be named. “The last slots are being deliberated,” said Gregorio who took over the 3x3 helm six months ago and has since brought the program to unprecedented heights.