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    French import warns PH 3x3 teams of looming 'slap to the face' of Doha competition

    Tsagarakis: 'Whatever they faced in the Super Quest is nothing compared to what we will face in Doha'
    Apr 17, 2019

    ANGELO Tsagarakis warned the Philippine clubs set to see action in the Doha Masters of the 2019 Fiba 3x3 World Tour that the challenge they have to face will be unlike any other they've experienced.

    "I don't think the guys realize yet the intensity that we are going to face in Doha," said the French, who ranks as the 990th-best 3x3 player in the world.

    "I know I talked about it with coach Anton (Altamirano) and shared the experience of trying to prepare for it, but it's going to be a learning experience for the teams. The purpose is going to be great. Doha is gonna be a learning experience and a slap to the face. Whatever they faced in the Super Quest is nothing compared to what we will face in Doha."

    Tsagarakis will bolster Pasig Chooks, where he'll team up with the country's top two players Joshua Munzon and Taylor Statham, as well as ex-Novi Sad campaigner Nikola Pavlovic. It is slotted in Pool A, where it will take on host squad Katara of Qatar and world no. 1 Liman of Serbia.

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      Meanwhile, Balanga Chooks, composed of Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan, Karl Dehesa, and American reinforcement Travis Franklin, is placed in Pool C where it will take on world no. 3 Riga Ghetto of Latvia and world no. 15 Moscow Inanomo of Russia.

      Tsagarakis, who was part of Team France which claimed bronze in the 2017 Fiba 3x3 World Cup, said that the Filipino clubs have no recourse but to bring nothing but their A-games just to progress past the group stages.

      "We can't base things on what we did and did not do during the Super Quest. We got to think much higher and much further. We need to fight for everything than what we have already done," he said.

      Pavlovic agreed, noting: "The level is completely different from here and the way of playing basketball is completely different from here. It's going to be much more physical."

      However, the Serbian reinforcement, who won three World Tour Masters back in 2017, sees a lot of potential from both Pasig Chooks and Balanga Chooks sides.

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      "We have a lot of potential in our teams. If we work hard to be together, we have a good chance to be there," he said.

      As tough as the climb is, Tsagarakis draws his confidence on the heart of the Philippine crews bring everytime they hit the halfcourt, one which he believes will be valuable in both team's dream to score upsets.

      "If there's one thing I know about sports in general, it's about the heart that you bring during each competition. There are things your team is missing, but you can compensate those with heart. That's the main thing we can bring right now," he said.

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