Balanga Chooks’ Alvin Pasaol and Travis Franklin. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is off to a blistering start in the group stage of 2019 Fiba 3×3 World Tour Masters in Doha, Qatar.
Balanga Chooks, which qualified for the World Tour via the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Asia Pacific Super Quest, stunned world no. 3 Riga Ghetto Latvia, 19-17, in its first game Thursday night.
Dance on him! 💦#3x3WT pic.twitter.com/ZY13e8pSQW
— FIBA3x3 (@FIBA3x3) April 18, 2019
American guest player Travis Franklin carried the Balanga in the victory, scoring 14 of the team’s total output.
Alvin Pasaol added four points, including a big 2-pointer that gave Balanga the lead for good, 17-16.
#3x3WT Final Scores
Watch Day 1 of #3x3WT Doha Masters 🇶🇦 LIVE!
📺 https://t.co/G7cv5kgogn pic.twitter.com/X07eedi2IP
— FIBA3x3 (@FIBA3x3) April 18, 2019
Balanga, which made its name in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 as the 1Bataan Risers, faces Moscow in the other pool C assignment later in the day.
Only the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the knockout playoffs.