THE PUSH of newly approved professional league Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 to start its season got further wind with the first batch of teams having their coronavirus tests and later on proceeding to practice.
The testing is part of the protocols put in place by the league and approved by pertinent government agencies to allow for the conduct of the tournament, targeted to begin in October, amid the ongoing situation with the coronavirus pandemic.
Since Monday, a total of eight teams have already gone through their first polymerase chain reaction (PRC) testing held at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City.
Zamboanga City Family’s Brand Sardines, Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes, Gapan Chooks, and Bacolod Master Sardines had their testing last Monday while Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, Palayan City Capitols, and Porac-Big Boss Cement Green Gorillas had it Wednesday.
The remaining teams, Bicol Volcanoes, Sarangani Marlins, Val City Classic, and a special select team will have theirs on Monday and Friday next week.
“We had staggered testing and staggered practices as well,” said league commissioner Eric Altamirano.
Except for the Valientes, the teams which had their tests Monday were able to hold their first practice Wednesday at the UP Epsilon Chi Gymnasium also in Quezon City.
Before they could get inside the venue, each athlete was given a rapid test with everyone testing negative. Then they signed up for GET Philippines’ contact-tracing app.
“It’s during this first week where we will see if there are things that we can adjust with our system before we get back to the games itself,” said league owner Ronald Mascariñas whose group has made it known that the safety and well-being of all concerned are above all else in starting their season.
The Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 is a first-of-its-kind league established last year with the goal of helping the country get enough FIBA 3×3 points to book a spot in the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games, where 3×3 basketball is making its debut.
It succeeded in its immediate goal as the Chooks-to-Go backed squad earned a slot in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament happening in May next year in Austria. The team is hoping to go deeper and make its way to the rescheduled Tokyo Games in the middle of 2021. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
