Philippines out of FIBA women’s 3x3; Pontejos shines

BOCAUE, Philippines — Janine Pontejos emerged as the darling of the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup with her consistent fiery performance but Team Phl came up short in each of its four games in pool play and failed to make the knockout round.

As in their first two games Friday, Pontejos and her teammates dazzled in the early minutes only to fade away late in the game, thus dropping their last two games against Spain and Hungary to the disappointment of the cheering home fans at the Philippine Arena here.

The Filipinas, suffering from lack of experience, bowed to the Spanish belles, 17-21, then absorbed a 15-18 loss to their Hungarian foes.

Team Phl tried to play the spoiler’s role in its final game in the tourney, but failed to keep the momentum of a startling 10-6 start,  allowing Hungary to join Spain in the knockout round.

Spain, Hungary and the Netherlands finished with identical 3-1 win-loss slates, but the Spanish and Hungarian ladies advanced on higher accumulated points.

Pontejos sizzled with 13 points against Spain, frolicked with seven against Hungary and ended up the event’s third leading scorer with a total of 27 points – tied with three others behind Swiss Marielle Giroud (35) and Hungarian Bettina Bozoki (29).

Former San Sebastian Staglet David Carlos made the four-man final round of the dunk contest with Frenchman Guy “Frequent Flyer” Duquy and Ukraine dunk artists Dmytro “Smoove” Krivenko and Vadym “Miller” Piddubchenko.