NBA 3X Philippines 2017 presented by AXA reached an all-time high in popularity this year with increased participation from Metro Manila and provincial teams joining the various age group categories of the seven-year old 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
Fifty-six out of 176 participating teams survived
the qualifiers held at Don Bosco Makati on July 15-16. The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals
matches of the Boys Under-13, Under-16, and Under-18, Girls Under-18, Men’s
Open and Women’s Open were staged at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on July
22-23.
New champions were hailed in the avidly watched
Men’s Open division that was won by Team Rocan from Valenzuela, Bulacan. Christian Chua, Mark Fernandez, Elmer de la
Cruz, and Philip Torres outhustled Team 459 Legaspi from Colegio San Juan de
Letran in a closely fought game. EGS
Elite, four-peat champions of the NBA 3X Philippines Men’s Open division since
2013, was unable to follow through with their plans for a fifth championship
after failing to show up in the quarterfinals.
The Women’s Open Division was won by National
University (NU)-A with Trixie Antiquiera, Ria Joy Nabalan, Samantha Harada, and
Rhena Itesi, besting their teammates on the opposing NU-B squad. Both teams
play for the NU women’s basketball team that has dominated UAAP women’s basketball
for three consecutive seasons. “It was a challenge to have to face our
teammates who are familiar with our style of play, but we are proud to earn
this victory,” said Antiquiera.
Among the highlights of the afternoon was the hotly
contested match between the Boys Under 16 finals between the Berkeley Aquanauts
of Berkeley School Baguio and Makati Basketball. Intense play coupled with dazzling, athletic play
from two former Jr. NBA National Training Camp finalists, Jazzy De Ayre and
Ethan Rodelas, mesmerized the mall crowd, eliciting cheers and loud crowd
reaction. Similarly, the Boys Under-13
finals between Berkely School of Baguio and De La Salle Zobel-2 showcased wire-to-wire
action from very young ballers playing like big boys, which the crowd enjoyed
immensely.
A special division for AXA also freatured the rich
basketball culture within the world’s largest and fastest-growing life
insurance company in the country. Eight
teams from the field of AXA teams made it to the quarterfinals. In the end, Team AXA Life-A bested AXA’s Go
Elite in a “man’s game”, that gave the crowd a “show of force”.
The Girl’s Under-18 Division title match came down
to the girls of Team Bulacan and University of Baguio, where Bulacan relied on Cindi
Gonzales’s steadyplay in the paint and deft ball distribution to win the day. Additionally, Escuela de Sophia dominated the
Boys Under-18 division and edged out schoolmates EDSCI by nailing crucial two-pointers
that to secure the lead and the victory.
The Celebrity Division was won by Team Uy, Uy, Uy
headlined by sports analyst Dominic Uy, PBA legend and coach Vince ”The Prince”
Hizon, as well as coach and sports analyst Charles Tiu. Their opponents, Mongrel Mob, starring ex-PBA
player Mark Andaya, TV host Bobby Yan and actor Neil Sese, fought valiantly but
were left behind in the end game.
In the Individual categories, Billion Enriquez from
Zamboanga is AXA Three-Point Shootout Champion; Brian Agarin of Cubao, Panasonic
Master Three-Point Contest Champion; Alexis Ramos of Tanauan, Batangas, Cloudfone
Shoot-Solve-Selfie Challenge champion; and Shekel Estrelles of Caloocan, Globe
Do It Different Three-Point Challenge champion. In the AXA Shoot For A Cause challenge,
free-throw shooters raised P70,000 worth of free throws for Tahanang Walang Hagdan.
NBA talents Steven Adams of the Oklahoma Thunder,
former Sacramento Kings head coach Reggie Theus, also known as Kobe Paras’
coach at Cal State Northridge in the US NCAA, and the
Laker Girls awarded all winning individuals and teams their medals and
trophies.
The
official partners of NBA 3X Philippines 2017 presented by AXA include
CloudFone, Globe At Home, Globe Prepaid, Panasonic, with SM Mall of Asia and
Spalding serving as Supporting Partners.
Official NBA broadcasters for the event are ABS-CBN Sports and Action,
Basketball TV, and NBA Premium TV.
For more information on NBA 3X Philippines 2017
and the registration process, log on to www.nba3x.com/philippines and follow www.facebook.com/nba3xasia.
For more details on
AXA Philippines and their product offerings, visit www.axa.com.ph and www.facebook.com/AXA.Philippin
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