Former Philippine Basketball Association hotshots Paul Desiderio and Jaypee Belencion were among seven players, who made the cut for the new set of national 3×3 team candidates.
With the help of Russian Federation coach Milan Isakov, coach Chico Lanete made up his mind on the seven players joining a new 3×3 squad, which will join qualifying competitions for the 2024 Paris Olympics next year.
“We are serious in coming up with a new lineup for the qualifiers, which is series of tournaments,” said Lanete at the end of the tryouts held by Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas at Activate Hope Arena in Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong.
Joining Desiderio and Belencion are actor Gerald Anderson, Ralph Jeffrey Deles, Shaquille Alanes, Ian Pardo and Zaljun Cartagena.
Lanete hopes to deepen the talent pool with new players coming in.
Isakov said he will confer with Lanete on his expectations.
The former player of Liman of Serbia arrived Monday evening for the tryouts.
The countdown for qualification for both the Paris Olympics and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament started last month and will end on November 1, 2023.
Desiderio said he has recovered from an ACL injury he suffered seven months ago.
He quit Blackwater after his name was removed from a three-team trade involving NLEX and TNT.