Archers clinch 3x3 four-peat

MANILA, Philippines — De La Salle University overcame the loss of injured sharpshooter Doy Dungo to strike down Ateneo, 21-18, in the final of the UAAP men’s 3x3 basketball championships to claim the Green Archers’ fourth straight crown via a 9-0 sweep at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay the other day. Dungo, last year’s 3x3 MVP, suffered a left ankle sprain in DLSU’s 21-14 semifinal win over NU four hours before the title match and was replaced by EJ Gollena for the showdown with the Blue Eagles. 

Ateneo took an early lead and the score was tied, 12-all before the Archers leaned on Luis Pablo to seal it. Pablo drove in for the winning layup to finish with 13 points and nine boards. Earl Abadam shot five, JC Macalalag netted three and Gollena had four rebounds, two blocks and an assist. Shawn Tuano paced the Eagles with eight points, five rebounds and four assists. La Salle hit 53.6 percent from the field compared to Ateneo’s 40.6 and grabbed more rebounds, 22-14. 

La Salle coach OG Ng said the strategy was to attack the rim and it led to Ateneo entering penalty early in the 10-minute game. The Archers took only two attempts from two-point distance while Ateneo had 16. Ng said Dungo’s absence threw off some defensive schemes that Ateneo exploited but Gollena, who had played in three of eight previous games, filled in. Ng and assistant John Pelotos prepared the Archers for the competition with one-day tournaments, borrowing players from Zobel, at the La Salle gym. They’ve been at the 3x3 helm for four titles in a row. DLSU 5x5 head coach Topex Robinson and assistants Gian Nazario and Oliver Bunyi attended the final to support Ng and Pelotos who are also in the Archers’ 5x5 staff.

SBP 3x3 director Ryan Gregorio, watching at courtside, was impressed with the performance of the players who saw action in the one-day semifinals and finals. He had recruited Dungo for the Gilas U23 pool with Nic Cabanero, Mark Belmonte, Gelo Crisostomo, Sean Alter and Aldous Torculas to play at the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League on May 28-June 3 in Al Gharafa, Qatar. Other UAAP 3x3 winners were UST women, FEU U19 boys, Ateneo U16 boys and NU girls.