Saitama rules Chooks-to-Go 3x3

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Chooks settled for a semifinal finish as Japan’s Saitama Alphas swept their way to the title in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 International Quest over the weekend at the Ayala Malls Solenad in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

With the home team exiting in the Final Four, Saitama took the spotlight and seized a 20-13 win over Zaisan MMC Energy of Mongolia to book a main draw ticket to the Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 World Tour Cebu Masters on Oct. 1-2.

Saitama, made up of Tokyo Olympian Tomoya Ochiai and Ryo Ozawa with Serbian reinforcements Teodor Atanasov and Marko Milakovic, capped a 5-0 campaign for its first major title as a newly-assembled 3x3 squad and a $10,000 grand prize.

“I said it back in 2019 and I’ll say it again, I really love the Philippines. New team, it really feels good that we were able to reach the Masters. It’s going to be exciting,” said Ochiai after being part of the Tokyo Dime squad that won the first-ever Chooks-to-Go Asia Pacific Super Quest in 2019.