Janine Pontejos reigns in 3x3 shootout

BOCAUE, Philippines — Janine Pontejos outgunned two Russians and a Croat to win the Shoot-Out Contest, giving the hometown crowd something to crow about  on the final day of the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup, at the Philippine Arena here yesterday.

With her awkward form, Pontejos scored 14 points, highlighted by eight straight conversions from two racks plus 2-of-3 clip from the 3x3 logo (the money rack), to beat Russians Alexandra Stolyar and Maksim Dybovskii, and Croat Marin Hrvoje for the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines in the 3x3 World Cup.

“This is our first medal in the World Cup. I’m so proud to win it, and I’m proud to be a Filipino. This is for the Philippines,” said Pontejos in Pilipino.

David Carlos made it a gold-bronze haul for the Philippines in the individual events as he placed third behind eventual gold medal winner Dmytro Krivenko of Ukraine and silver medal winner Guy Dupuy of France in the Dunk Contest.

Vadym Piddubchenko, also of Ukraine, failed to convert in the second round of the semis and thus ended up fourth placer in the event where Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche served as member of the panel of judges.

Serbia, led by do-it-all star Dusan Bulut, stretched its reign to a third straight year with a 16-13 conquest of the Netherlands in the men’s finals. Italy, bannered by wondrous playmaker Rae Lin D’Alie, topped Russia, 16-12, for the women’s crown in 3x3 play.

Bulut and his Serbian teammates swept four games in pool play before rolling past Mongolia, Poland and the Netherlands in the knockout round.

D’Alie and her Italian teammates, meanwhile, placed second behind Czech Republic in Pool A before streaking past the United States, China and Russia in the do-or-die matches on the way to the women’s crown.