CALAMBA -- From the get-go, Family's Brand Sardines Zamboanga City has been considered as the team-to-beat in the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President's Cup presented by TM.
And with the Grand Finals slated on Friday, that notion remains the same as they head to the finale as the top-seed in the 12-team competition inside Inspire Sports Academy here.
Even Joshua Munzon has grown accustomed to the situation, knowing that whoever Zamboanga City face will surely go for their head.
"I guess it comes with the territory," he said. "With the things we achieved last year and the team that we had, it's a given."
Zamboanga City has earned an automatic bye to the quarterfinals, awaiting the victor of the knockout duel between Big Boss Cement-Porac MSC and Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes MLV.
It's the curse you get when your team has four of the top six ranked 3x3 players in the country, led by Munzon and Alvin Pasaol.
But to be pressured? It's already the norm for Zamboanga City all conference long.
"We haven't focused on the pressure. We'll just go out there and be the best versions of ourselves," he said. "We can't focus on the other teams. All we can worry about is the things we do and the things we can control out there. Hopefully, that's enough to get us through."
Through 18 games in this President's Cup, Zamboanga City has only dropped one match -- a shock defeat to Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors in the Leg 3 quarterfinals. It was a momentary roadblock that showed that the favored team may indeed have a chink in its armor and all the more proves that anybody can beat them any given day.
It's also a reality that Munzon begrudgingly acknowledged seeing how the opposition have really stepped up in the leadup to the Grand Finals.
"Falling short of our goal will definitely be disappointing," he admitted.
Still, Munzon does not forget that the main goal of this tilt is to better prepare him and Pasaol for next year's Fiba 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
"As long as we go out there and play hard and we do the things that were supposed to do, I feel we'll be satisfied with any result."
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