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| Maurice Lacroix and Kuala Lumpur are the first-ever Pilipinas United 3x3 League champs. Pilipinas United 3x3 League |
PARANAQUE--The Philippines' Half Court Group and Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur are the biggest winners of the inaugural staging of the Pilipinas United 3x3 League as they earned berths in the upcoming FIBA 3x3 challengers at the end of the two-day event on Sunday night at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay Activity Center.
For being the best Filipino squad in the tournament, Half Court Group, coached by many-time PBA 3x3 champion coach Mau Belen, earned its place in the FIBA 3x3 Manila Challenger.
The team of Raoul Odou, Chester Saldua, Jordan Bartlett, and Chris De Chavez sealed its place in the challenger after beating Solaris, 20-17, in an all-Filipino semifinal.
However, Odou hyperextended his knee in the said match, forcing Saldua, Bartlett, and De Chavez to play the full length of the championship match against Kuala Lumpur, made up of Malaysian national team mainstays.
Despite a gallant fight, especially with Saldua carrying the fight, Half Court Group conceded the final to Kuala Lumpur, 15-21.
Kuala Lumpur's shock title run earned them a place in the FIBA 3x3 Kaohsiung Challenger.
Kuala Lumpur first denied an all-Filipino final by stunning Taho Story B, 21-18, in the other semifinal.
Meanwhile, Japan's Maurice Lacroix also denied the Philippines from winning it all in the women's division.
Maurice Lacroix first staggered Gilas Pilipinas U23 in the semifinals, 11-9, on a Naoko Honda buzzer-beater before nipping Uratex Dream, 15-13, in the final.
In the side events, Team Motivated of Rendon Labador edged Team Malupiton, 11-10, in the celebrity exhibition match, Patrick Jamison won the Two-Point Shootout, and Richard McCalop Jr. took home the Dunk Contest crown.
