Shinjuku Givers rule Hustle 3x3

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Japan’s Shinjuku Givers clobbered home bet Uratex Dream, 21-8, and ran away with the inaugural title in the Cebu Hustle 3x3 before a jampacked crowd at the SM Seaside City here.

The Japanese quartet raced to a 9-0 lead and never looked back to pummel the crippled Uratex crew following the ankle sprain injury suffered by ace forward Angel Surada in their 13-12 overtime win against fellow local team Pilipinas Aguilas.

“We fought from the beginning to the end so I’m glad we got this championship,” said MVP Ester Ibeh, a first-timer both in 3x3 play and in the Philippines. “I’m grateful to be here and show my skills and to meet the lovely people here. I love the Philippines.”

Shinjuku swept Pool A, topped fellow Japanese team Maurice Lacroix, 14-9, in the quarterfinals and escaped with a 21-19 Final Four win against Thailand’s CT Tigers before completing their title run worth $3,000 in the 12-team tourney presented by Uratex, Smart and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Ibeh tallied seven points and five rebounds in the finale with solid coverage from Yumi Takakuwa, Mizuho Naho and Mila Mori, who drained the corner deuce to finish off the Philippine representative with still 1:31 to go.

Ibeh, a 6-foot-1 Nigerian who’s a pro player in the Japan league, was joined by Chinese reinforcement Renzhu Li of Uratex Dream and Japanese import Kiri Endo of CT Tigers in the Mythical Three.

Kaye Pingol and Sam Harada put up a fight with Li but the absence of Surada was just too big a gap to fill as Uratex settled for second place and the $2,000 runner-up prize.