ZAMBOANGA City-Family's Brand Sardines may have lived up to its reputation as the team to beat with its preseason title win but the players themselves remain dissatisfied with their performance heading to the first leg of the 2020 Chooks-to-Go President's Cup powered by TM on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
With Cebuano Santi Santillan joining forces with the country's top two players in Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol, Family's Brand Sardines won its opening game last Monday before suffering a shock loss to upstart Bicol-Paxful 3x3 Pro, 19-21, in the group stages.
"Sobrang upset sa amin yun. Sobrang taas ng tingin ng ibang teams sa amin, na top team-to-beat nga kami," said Pasaol of the 19-21 defeat.
"Masyadong complacent kami sa nangyari na yun so nag-usap-usap kaming wag na natin uulitin yun," added the Davaoeño.
They did just that, racking up three consecutive victories, including a semis domination of Juan Gomez de Liano and Gab Banal's Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, 21-14, and then a Finals victory over Bacolod-Master Sardines fronted by Anton Asistio, 21-17.
“This meant bigger for us because we lost,” said Munzon, talking about their preseason championship that also awarded them P50,000. "It showed that we're able to fight through adversity."
Zamboanga City hopes to build on this momentum as they duke it out once more with Bicol, Nueva Ecija, Bacolod, and eight other teams on Wednesday in the first leg of the country's first-ever professional 3x3 league backed by hydration partner Gatorade.
All of the action will still be aired on BEAM TV Ch. 31 and streamed on Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Facebook and FIBA 3x3 YouTube starting at 1:00 p.m. with a simple opening ceremony.
Family's Brand Sardines have been grouped together with Saranggani Marlins and MLV-Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes in Pool A while the Rice Vanguards and Master Sardines are in Pool D alongside Petra Cement Roxas ZN.
Pool B is then made up of Uling Roasters-Butuan, Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, and Pagadian Rocky Sports while Bicol, Big Boss Cement Green Gorillas MSC-Porac, and Palayan City Capitals comprise Pool C.
The top two from each group advance into the quarterfinals and from there, knockout bouts will determine the champion which will receive P100,000 while the second- and third-placers get P30,000 and P20,000, respectively. (JNP)