World-class FIBA 3×3 action in Laguna

Ed Andaya

May 3

WHEN the eight participating teams plunge into action at the Ayala Malls Solenad 3 for the Chooks-to-Go Asia Pacific Super Quest on Saturday, April 30, fans will be witnessing world-class FIBA 3x3 action that features some of the best teams in this part of the world.
There are a number of individuals that fans should watch out for in the Super Quest.
Here are some of the top caliber 3x3 players that will show their wares in Sta.Rosa, Laguna:

     Gan-Erdene Gantsolmon (Zaisan MMC Energy, Mongolia)
     At just 22-years-old, Gantsolmon is already a grizzled veteran in the 3x3 scene. He was part of the Mongolian senior team which played in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Championship.
     The 6-foot-0 spitfire was instrumental in helping Mongolia finish 10th out of 20 teams in the competition.
     Gantsolmon is the 4th highest ranked 3x3 player of Mongolia which is one of the best 3x3 nations globally. In the latest FIBA 3x3 world rankings, Mongolia placed 11th. Gantsolmon is also considered one of the top young 3x3 players in the world, ranking 12th among all players aged 23 and below.

     Jamarr Johnson (Tangerang, Indonesia)
     When the Indonesia Patriots A won the Asean Basketball League 3x3 International Champion's Cup last April 17, one man stood big for the team on their way to the title.
       Whether it was at the low post, off the glass, or from the perimeter, 6'5 Jamarr Johnson was the anchor that the Indonesian team relied on to serve notice to the rest of Southeast Asia that they were for real.
       Johnson is a US NCAA Division III product who has taken up Indonesian citizenship after having lived in the country for close to a decade.

     Andrew Steel (Melbourne, Australia)
      The 6-foot-5 Andrew Steel has long been considered the face or the poster child of Australian 3x3 basketball. He has been a member of the Australian team in various major 3x3 competitions.
     He was part of the squads that placed 3rd in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in 2017 and 10th in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in 2019.
     Steel will be coming back to familiar grounds when he plays in the Super Quest in the Philippines this Saturday. He spearheaded the Melbourne iAthletic team that placed 5th in the Chooks-to-Go Manila FIBA 3x3 Challenger in 2019.

    Masahiro Komatsu (Tokyo Dime, Japan)
     Thirty-eight-year-old Masahiro Komatsu has been a many-time Philippine visitor.
     He is one of two remnants of the Tokyo Dime team which emerged champion of the first-ever FIBA 3x3 Asia Pacific Super Quest hosted by Chooks-to-Go in 2019. The other member of their 2019 team who is coming back to the Philippines is Keita Suzuki.
     The 6-foot-3 Komatsu was part of the Japan 3x3 national team which placed 15th in the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup held in Manila.
      He also represented Japan in the 2018 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup where the team bagged the bronze.

     Brandon Ramirez (Cebu Chooks!, Philippines)
     A wide-bodied player of the Cebu Chooks! squad piqued the curiosity of Filipino fans during the Dubai Super Quest held last March in UAE.
     Six-foot-six Ramirez impressed with his combination of size, strength, and skills as he and Mike Harry went toe-to-toe with the taller frontliners of some of the top teams in the world and helped Cebu Chooks! defeat Team Chicago of the United States.
     The 24-year-old Ramirez was recruited for the Chooks-to-Go 3x3 program from Canada where he played college. basketball for the Ryerson University Rams
       The Filipino-Canadian was one of the most consistent players of Cebu Chooks! during the Dubai Super Quest, and he figures to be an integral part of the Chooks-to-Go 3x3 program moving forward.