MANILA, Philippines – San Beda-A scorched from beyond the arc to sweep San Beda-C and win the first-ever Intercollegiate 3x3 Invitationals championship before a huge crowd Sunday, March 20 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.
Banking on the hot shooting of Davon Potts and Robert Bolick, the Red Lions A-squad, which also includes Dan Sara and Donald Tankua, won Game 1, 11-9, and dominated Game 2, 22-8, of the best-of-3 finals series.
Potts, Bolick, Sara and Tankua took home the P200,000 top prize while the San Beda-C quartet of Arnaud Noah, William Navarro, Joe Presbitero and Jeramer Cabanag bagged the second place trophy and P100,000.
“Sobrang saya namin kasi champion kami (We're very happy because we're champions). All our teams have been very competitive,” said Sara. “Malapit na rin NCAA so sobrang okay na experience sa amin ito. Dito start na talaga ng maturity namin (The NCAA is drawing near so this is good experience for us. This where our maturity starts).”
Before setting up an all-Lions finals duel, San Beda-A fended off a tough University of the East-A side while San Beda-C banked on a game-winning layup from Noah to prevail over UAAP champion Far Eastern University-A. (EXPLAINER: A guide to 3x3 basketball)
Potts and Noah were named to the i3i’s inaugural Mythical Team, along with guard Joe Trinidad of the Tamaraws and Red Warrior Arnold Pasaol.
In the battle for third, UE-A dismantled a weary FEU-A squad, 21-14, behind Pasaol, Clark Derige, Paul Varilla and shifty guard Bonbon Batiller in the event organized by Kiefer Ravena’s Rack Sports Management and endorsed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Also making it to the Elite Eight are UE-B, UE-C, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and National University-B.
A total of 32 teams from UAAP and NCAA schools participated in the tournament.
“This is the first step in our goal of getting more Filipinos involved in 3x3,” said Ravena, who added that Rack Sports is planning to do collegiate 3x3 tournaments in Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo and Laguna in the next few months. – Rappler.com