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FIBA 3x3: Manila Chooks suffers setback vs Utsunomiya, crashes out of Manila Masters

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Handout photo." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/05/20/20230520-fiba-3x3-handout.jpg"/><figcaption>Dennis Santos in action for Manila Chooks in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters 2023. Handout photo.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Manila Chooks put up a big fight before it suffered from foul trouble in the Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters 2023 and yielded an 18-22 (6:12) defeat at the hands of Japanese side Utsunomiya BREX EXE in Pool A action on Saturday at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati.Dennis Santos rallied the lone Filipino contingent in the Level 10 FIBA 3x3 event back from an early 5-9 deficit against the eighth placer in the Utsunomiya Masters opener last April.The Philippine No. 3 3x3 player strung together six straight points, which included a two-pointer and an and-one conversion which knotted the score at 11-all.Top Philippine 3x3 player Mac Tallo and Sierra Leonean big man Tosh Sesay then gave Manila Chooks! a 14-12 advantage with under six minutes to play.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/20/23/fiba-3x3-manila-chooks-bow-to-serbian-squad-in-opener">FIBA 3X3: Manila Chooks bow to Serbian squad in opener</a></li></ul>However, foul trouble eventually doomed the squad&#x27;s hopes of making the quarterfinals in Day 2, as &quot;Japanese Terrence Romeo&quot; Yosuke Saito sank free throws which gave his team an 18-15 lead.&quot;Wala akong masabi sa mga players. &#x27;Yung effort, &#x27;yung dedication, binigay nila lahat. Hindi lang kami nakapag-adjust sa fouls, so sayang,&quot; head trainer Chico Lanete remarked after the close loss.&quot;We just have to continue what we have started and master our game plan. We should learn from this lesson and avoid unnecessary fouling. I think you all saw how the players gave it their all.&quot;In spite of the situation, Manila Chooks! tried its best to battle until the end. Guard Paul Desiderio converted a two while Sesay&#x27;s dunk pulled the locals within 18-20.Serbian national Marko Milakovic then delivered the knockout punch with 3:48 remaining, making a contested two from the left wing to send Utsunomiya to Day 2 of the competition.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/05/23/sea-games-gilas-3x3-teams-kick-off-bid-for-redemption">SEA Games: Gilas 3x3 teams kick off bid for redemption on Saturday</a></li></ul>&quot;Making the winning shot is always amazing. I spoke with the Manila team and told them they had a perfect game. Mac was a superb guy. The positive energy of the home people also made this game better,&quot; Milakovic said as he left praise for their opponents.&quot;Sometimes, players just want it more to win, that&#x27;s why tomorrow, we need to focus. This is our third time here, so hopefully, we make it to the semifinals and the finals.&quot;Tallo, meanwhile, acknowledged that Manila Chooks will need to build from its stinging defeats and improve as a cohesive unit.&quot;The effort was there. We tried to win the second game. Binuhos namin lahat, wala kaming tinirang energy, kasi ginusto naming makapag-Day 2. I think ang kulang na lang sa amin is &#x27;yung chemistry,&quot; Tallo said.With the victory, Utsunomiya will join undefeated Ub Huishan NE of Serbia as Pool A quarterfinalists.Other squads making it to the knockout stage are Riga of Latvia and San Juan of Puerto Rico in Pool B, Amsterdam HiPRO of Netherlands and Futian of China in Pool C, and Beijing of China and Sansar MMC Energy of Mongolia in pool D.The winner of the Manila Masters will take home $40,000 while the second and third placers will receive $30,000 and $22,000, respectively.

Manila Chooks yielded to Japanese side Utsunomiya BREX EXE, 18-22 (6:12), in Pool A action on Saturday at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati.