Mascariñas appreciative of Magsanoc's Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 comments

BAVI head honcho and Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 owner Ronald Mascariñas

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 owner Ronald Mascariñas welcomed the latest developments from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas with regards to potential involvement of the league's players in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games, reiterating his previous statements of their availability for flag and country.

"As I said in the past, we are offering the players in our league to the country, the SBP and any other entity that will need 3x3 top players to represent the country in any international tournament. This means that all players who played in our Chooks-to-Go league and are ranked in FIBA 3X3 are available," he said.

During their unveiling of the new team logos for Gilas Pilipinas, the federation, through its 3x3 Program Director Ronnie Magsanoc, broached the possibility of having Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 players in the national pool.

The PBA legend shares, "That is also an option. Yung mga nasa Chooks-to-Go, most of them have made it to the top one-hundred already." He adds, "They will always be considered even a part of the pool because of their ranking."

Magsanoc continues, "Napakalaking bagay ng ginagawa nila. Hindi pa nagagawa yun eh, pero sila nagawa nila."

The league not only employs the top 20 Filipinos in the FIBA 3x3 rankings, it has also helped raised the profile of the Philippines in the 3x3 federation rankings, moving up from 58 to the lower 30s. They are also in the midst of preparations for the upcoming import-laden second conference of the league, the Patriots' Cup.

Mascariñas appreciates the praise from Magsanoc, but notes that all of these efforts are for the country.

"I appreciate the kind words of Coach Ronnie as we both share a common objective for the country. All work being done is for the country to qualify in the 2020 Olympics and to give a new avenue for the Filipino basketball player.  This can only be good for 3x3 basketball."

He adds, "Whatever the SBP needs for 3x3 basketball, we will be there to support."