Manila Chooks falls to Ub in Cebu Masters quarterfinals

Manila Chooks bowed out of the 2023 Chooks-To-Go FIBA 3×3 World Tour Cebu Masters, falling to world no. 1 Ub Huishan NE, 14-21, at the SM Seaside City Cebu on Sunday, September 24.

The home team composed of the country’s no. 1 player Mac Tallo as well as Marcus Hammonds, Maruez Letcher-Ellis, and Tosh Sesay could not sustain their good start.

Manila Chooks’ Mac Tallo drives in between Ub’s Marko Brankovic (left) and Strahinja Stojacic (right) during their quarterfinals game in the 2023 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3X3 World Tour Cebu Masters at the SM Seaside City Cebu on Sunday, September 24. Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas/FIBA PHOTO 

Cheered on by the local fans, Manila got off to a 7-4 lead following a Hammonds deuce.

Ub, representing Serbia, proved to be as composed as ever.

The quartet of Marko Brankovic, Vladmir Dordevic, Dejan Majstorovic, and world no. 1 Strahinja Stojacic grinded it out and chipped away the lead.

The Serbians eventually built a 16-10 advantage following a Stojacic layup, seizing control of the 10-minute and race-to-21 contest.

Brankovic eventually sealed the win for the away team as he scored downlow and sank the bonus free throw with 1:21 remaining in the contest.

“Overall, it was a good run. We were able to advance to Day 2 of the tournament. If this would be our last Masters tournament for the year, we certainly played and ended it well,” said Tallo.

Stojacic racked up 11 points to lead the way for Ub who advanced to the semifinals.

Hammonds and Letcher-Ellis uncorked five points each to pace Manila, who nonetheless made their best finish in a Masters tournament for the first time in 15 months.

The previous Masters tournaments saw Manila bowing out right away on the first day of the meet.