HANGZHOU – The Philippine 3x3 team won’t have Almond Vosotros and the core of the multi-titled TNT Triple Giga for the 19th Asian Games.
Coach Lester Del Rosario said competition rules allowing only under-23 players to see action kept Vosotros and Co. out of the continental showpiece.
Now he has the young quartet Jan Ray Pasaol, Justin Sanchez, Brian Sajonia, and Bismarck Lina to lean on in the continental competition.
See PH Chef de Mission Richard Gomez misses Asian Games opener
Vosotros, the main man of the TNT Triple Giga team, has been the face of Philippine 3x3 basketball of late, which only recently bagged the silver medal in the 3x3 competitions of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Despite the inexperience and the short time of playing together as a unit, Del Rosario said the team is determined to fight through adversity.
“Laban lang ang mga bata,” said the son of the late University of Santo Tomas legendary coach Aric del Rosario, who is assisted by deputy Patrick Fran.
“Maiksi ang preparation pero madami naman kaming nagawa,” he said of the quartet, who arrived at the Athletes’ Village on Friday.
The Philippines is bracketed with Jordan in Pool A along with Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, and Mongolia.
A top finish in its group will have the Filipinos advancing outright to the knockout quarterfinals, while a second place finish relegates them to a qualification for a final shot of advancing to the playoffs.
The team plays its first game on Monday against Jordan at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court.
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