Meet your Philippine team to the 3x3 U18 World Cup in Chengdu, China!

Meet your Philippine team to the 3x3 U18 World Cup in Chengdu, China!

by rick olivares

“This is a young and talented team,” noted Philippine 3x3 head coach Eric Altamirano of the young Filipinos who will be representing the country in the Fiba 3x3 U18 World Cup in Chengdu, China. “We have talented, athletic, and defensive-oriented team. They are keen on stopping foes but can score. All of them can create their own shots.”

The Philippine team is ranked seventh by Fiba.

Let’s meet the four players who will be donning the national colors in this tournament in which the sport has officially been adopted as an Olympic sport beginning with the next Summer Games.

Rhayyan Amsali hails from Zamboanga City. He stands 6'4” and currently plays for National University of Nazareth School. The lefty player is a veteran 3x3 player and is used by his coaches as an all-around cager. Says Amsali in the vernacular, “I hope to provide some leadership and insights into this kind of competition.”

This smart player adds that he idolizes James Yap and LeBron James!

Ariel John Edu or “AJ” has been named by FIba as one of the 10 players to watch out for in this tournament. Said Fiba of Edu, “He’s the hope of an entire nation. Don’t believe us? How about we tell you the mixtape he’s posted on his own YouTube channel has more than 100,000 views? The son of a Nigerian father and a Filipino mother is already 6 foot 10 inches (2.09m) and Kobe Paras says he’s got some Kevin Durant in him. If you’re not watching, the Philippines will be.”

Edu who hails from Limassol, Cyprus studies at SGS Academy in Bristol, England plays right-handed. “I’m play the forward position and am a huge fan of Jayson Castro and Kobe Bryant!”

Five-foot-ten Encho Serrano has been raking in individual awards in the past year in various competitions. That underscores his talent and potential. Serrano, who is from Apalit, Pampanga is a right-handed combo guard.

He roots for his kababayan Calvin Abueva and Russell Westbrook who was most recently named as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.

And last but not the least, there’s Juan Gomez De Liano. The 6’1” guard from Mandaluyong, Lives is entering his freshman year at the University of the Philippines. This lefty combo guard, like Serrano, also admires Jayson Castro but in the NBA is a massive James Harden fan.

Both Serrano and Gomez De Liano are also noted dunkers who can put on quite a show.