Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squad to kick off preparations for FIBA

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 team will begin its preparations for the upcoming FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament to be held in Graz, Austria.

The quartet of Joshua Munzon, Moala Tautuaa, Alvin Pasaol, and CJ Perez will be fielded at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba Laguna next week where a bubble-type setup practice will be observed.

“They are supposed to start the bubble training next week. They intend to leave one week before the start of the tournament,” said PBA vice-chairman Bobby Rosales.

Also, the PBA office and commissioner Willie Marcial already granted the professional players permission to play for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to negate the league’s schedule conflict.

Previously, it was only Perez and Tautuaa who were pros but both Munzon and Pasaol joined the recently concluded PBA Rookie draft and were picked in the first round.

The roster will seek to qualify in the remaining FIBA OQTs that were suspended due to the ongoing cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Munzon, the no. 1 3×3 player in the Philippines, will lead the all-pro lineup given the vast experience he has in the international scene.