Manila Chooks to miss 2021 FIBA 3x3 Lipik Challenger

Manila Chooks TM has pulled out from the 2021 FIBA 3x3 Lipik Challenger.

The decision came after the quartet of Chico Lanete, Mac Tallo, Zach Huang, and Dennis Santos had yet to secure their visa with only days left before the tournament kicks off this weekend in Croatia.

"There are things that we have no control of and this is one of them," said Chooks 3x3 owner Ronald Mascariñas in a statement.

"Since 2019, this is the first time that we had to pull out from a FIBA 3x3 tournament and the players were really looking forward to it.”

The tournament was tipped to serve as redemption for the team after failing to advance in the 2021 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Doha Masters in February.

In fact, the team had been relentlessly training in a bubble at the Lucena Convention Center in Quezon province. However, the Philippines has no Croatian Embassy, forcing the management to transmit their passports to the nearest one, which is in Jakarta, Indonesia.

They were sent to the Croatian Embassy in Indonesia as early as May 7 but until May 19, the visas have yet to arrive. This prompted the team to ultimately withdraw from the slugfest.

"The boys have been raring to bounce back after Doha but there are things na hindi natin kontrolado. Bawi na lang, that's all we can do right now," said Manila Chooks TM head trainer Aldin Ayo.

Meanwhile, the organizers are now searching for a replacement after the Philippines dropped out. —Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News