Two FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters spots up for grabs at Ulaanbaatar Super Quest 2022

ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - The stakes will be raised at the FIBA 3x3 Super Quest 2022 on May 6-7 as desperate teams fight for two tickets to the upcoming FIBA 3x3 Manila Masters

Rivalries will renew with a number of the teams having competed against each other at last week's action-packed FIBA 3x3 Asia Pacific Super Quest 2022 in Manila. 

Let's look at all the vital information ahead of this all-important event staged in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's historical capital and a favorite destination on the 3x3 circuit. 

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Pools

Pool A: UlaanbaatarMMC Energy (MGL), Amgalan MMC Energy (MGL), Cebu Chooks (PHI), Yokohama Beefman (JPN)
Pool B: Zaisan MMC Energy, Sansar MMC Energy (MGL), Zavkhan MMC Energy (MGL) , Manila Chooks (PHI)


The Favorites

The top four teams from the Asia Pacific Super Quest are in the draw and in form after impressing in Manila. 

But top status goes to No.1 seed Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy who have a new addition that you may have heard of. Yessiirrrrrr!

You know that entrance. Canadian 3x3 legend Steve Sir is back and in new colors as he starts fresh as a player-coach with the top team in Mongolia, who also have No.1 national player Delgernyam Davaasambuu and No.2 Dulguun Enkhbat, the man with perfect hair. 

Desperate to win their first ever Masters, the Mongolians have made a statement in 2022 with the signing of Sir who is arguably the GOAT 2-point shooter. So we know one thing for certain - Ulaanbaatar are going to be crazy dangerous from deep!

But they have tough competition on day one , especially against red-hot Filipino team Cebu Chooks who rode a wave of support in Manila from their hoops-mad compatriots to break the Philippines' eight-year title drought on the 3x3 pro circuit. 

Mark Tallo, the No.1 ranked player in the Philippines, and Mike Harry were unstoppable with a combined 61 points and were huge in the big moments in the final against Sansar MMC Energy to lead Cebu to a W in a thriller in Manila. 

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After their heartbreak, No.3 seed Sansar MMC Energy will be out for revenge and it's another chance to see the beautiful duo of Anand Ariunbold and Enkhbaatar Onolbaatar, who combined for 64 of their team's 81 points in Manila. 

Ariunbold is one of the brightest talents in 3x3 and the 25-year-old lived up to the hype with a spectacular performance to suggest he could well be a breakout star this season. 

The 1.96m (6ft. 5in) athletic dynamo was unstoppable at the rim but struggled from deep. If he's picked the brain of Sir - who is the director of player development for Mongolia's national teams - in the meantime, then Ariunbold really will be unstoppable if he can find consistency from two. 

It might just be the missing piece for Sansar to go all the way. 

The Field 

It's a small field but there are plenty of challengers led by Manila Chooks, who finished fourth at their home event and just missed out on a ticket for a Manila Masters they are desperate to qualify for. 

Henry Iloka went loco for Manila Chooks, especially on the glass with a tournament leading 38 rebounds and finishing No.1 in player value (33.6).

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He'll have to replicate that effort with Manila in a dog fight in a tough Pool B, which also includes Sansar and No.2 seed Zaisan MMC Energy

Zaisan will be out for revenge having lost to Sansar 18-15 in the semis but will fancy their chances after a mesmerising performance from Gan-Erdene Gantsolomon, who topped the scoring charts with 34 points. 

The 22-year-old rising star was a highlight machine marked by fancy finishes at the rims and we just can't wait to see what other tricks he has in his deep bag. 

The field is so loaded that there could well be an outsider who catches fire so don't write off Mongolian teams Amgalan MMC Energy and Zavkhan MMC Energy as well as Yokohama Beefman from Japan. 

What's at stake

The top 2 teams - who haven't already qualified - in Ulaanbaatar will qualify for the Manila Masters, May 28-29, 2022, as part of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022.

How to watch

The two-day extravaganza is on May 6-7 and you can follow it live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube and Facebook pages.

FIBA