Kings snatch ticket to FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters Doha
Credit to Author: JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA| Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2019 16:26:43 +0000
Pasig Grindhouse clinched the lone berth in the 2019 FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters Doha and the P1 million prize after ruling the 2019 Chooks to Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup Grand Finals on Sunday at the SM Fairview Events Center in Quezon City.
The Kings — bannered by Joshua Munzon, Taylor Statham, Troy Rike and Leo De Vera who temporarily replaced Dylan Ababou — battered the 1Bataan Risers, 19-7, in the championship match of the fifth and final leg of the first 3×3 league in the country.
Munzon, the No. 1 Filipino 3×3 player according to FIBA, notched a game-high 11 points to lead Pasig in the finals.
“This is a tribute to our hardwork,” said Munzon, who nabbed the Most Valuable Player of the League award that came along with P50,000.
Earlier, Pasig leaned on Statham to outlast San Juan-Go For Gold Knights, 19-18, in a highly-physical semis to secure a spot in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour slated in Doha, Qatar on April 18 to 19.
“I came here for one reason only and that is to play 3×3 and represent the Philippines. I want to be part of the team that hoes to the World Tour,” said Statham.
“I want to make my grandma, my family from Iloilo proud,” he added. “There’s a lot riding on it for me and it’s bigger than basketball.”
The Kings clobbered the Zamboanga Valientes, 21-9, to advance to the semifinals.
Bataan, on the other hand, beat the Quezon City-Zark’s Jawbreakers, 22-16, in the quarterfinals and nipped the Pasay Voyagers, 18-17, in the semis.
The Risers, who snagged the first and third leg crowns, took home the runners-up prize of P200,000.
The two teams will represent the country in the 2019 Chooks to Go 3×3 Asia Pacific Super Quest set on April 6 to 7 at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall.
At stake in the Super Quest are two tickets to the World Tour in Doha, with professional teams from South Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and China joining the regional tourney.
Meanwhile, Kobe Paras beat David Carlos for the Slam Dunk title and the P20,000 prize money while Chris De Chavez of Valenzuela Classic bagged the Three-point Shootout trophy along with the P10,000 prize.
The post Kings snatch ticket to FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters Doha appeared first on The Manila Times Online.