MANILA -- It will be Zoos Tokyo and Panthers 3x3 fighting for the Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 crown.
The defending champions from Japan and the decorated side from Spain dispute the throne after hurdling their semifinal foes Sunday at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, with the USD4,000 cash prize and an invite to the WKBL Triple Jam later this year hanging in the balance.
Zoos Tokyo, behind the might of world no. 55 Ama Degbeon, slipped past fellow Japanese side Tokyo BB, 18-14 in the Philippine women’s 3x3 international invitational co-presented by Uratex, Smart, and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
Panthers 3x3, on the other hand, rode on its hot start to dispose of Gilas Pilipinas Women 3x3 with an 18-11 victory.
Fiba 3x3 Women’s Series veteran Saicha Grant-Allen was just unstoppable down low before Ari Geli silenced the home crowd with a booming two-pointer to take a 17-7 lead with 1:37 to play.
Nonetheless, it was an admirable performance for the Nationals as it was the last Philippine team standing among the seven which defended our shores in this tilt which has Titan as official partner, together with Wilson, Seiko, B’lue, Secret Fresh, BDO, Jollibee, TRYP by Wyndham, Jisulife, Rexona, Senka, and Laurin, all for the USD4,000 cash prize and an invite to the WKBL Triple Jam later this year.
Meanwhile, Thai star Junny Udomsuk of Jumpshot Singapore also came away with the Two-Point Shootout tiara, besting Zoos Tokyo’s Miran Kikuchi and 14 other competitors.
Games are livestreamed on the Manila Hustle 3x3 Facebook page, as well as on the Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas pages.