The Zamboanga Valientes team in the 3×3 Thai Superleague. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Juan Gomez de Liaño beefs up Zamboanga Valientes in the Thai Superleague from June 1 to 5 at Central Ayutthaya.
The former University of the Philippines stalwart is set to team up with Reed Juntilla, Das Esa and Denver Cadiz.
Besides Gomez de Liaño, Zamboanga also tapped National University standout Issa Gaye as the team flies to Thailand on Thursday.
The Valientes reached the quarterfinals of Asean Basketball League 3×3 last April in Bali, Indonesia, where they paraded a different team.
Gomez de Liaño was with Platinum Karaoke, settling for bronze in the tournament.
Zamboanga is slated in Pool A facing Japan’s Tokyo Dime, India’s KAGA Basketball, Singapore’s Team Busy, Thailand’s Sniper X and Shoot It Dragons, and another Filipino team, Pretty Huge.
Ateneo standout Raffy Verano, PBA veteran Jay Washington, Trevis Jackson, and Marcus Hammonds will represent team Pretty Huge.
According to team owner Mike Venezuela, the Valientes are focusing on 3×3 at the moment because he believes this is one of the sports where Filipinos can excel.
Apart from basketball, Zamboanga is also supporting boxers, including Olympic bronze medalist and four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Eumir Marcial, WBO inter-continental bantamweight champion Jonas Sultan and former world champion Milan Melindo.