3X3 BASKETBALL TOURNEY CONCLUDES SUNDAY EVENING

By Robert Balajadia

After the rainy weather last weekend forced the tournaments postponement, the Hagatna City 3×3 Summer Show Down presented by Crowns and Clutch Guam took over the Paseo Courts this past weekend. The Paseo Courts got a fresh coating and new backboards, as well as new rims, to usher in the first 3×3 event in over a year.

Five different champions were crowned in five different divisions with both of the final men’s and women’s division games ending in dramatic fashion.

3×3 Champions

San Nicolas bucket wins it for Yimpact

The women’s finals went down to the wire. Team Slay’s Derin Santos Stinnett converted on an and-one to tie the game at six each. Moments later, Elysia Perez would give Yimpact the lead on a wing three to go up 8-7, but Slay would retake the lead on a Brianna Benito Crisostomo and-one to go up 9-8 with less than two minutes remaining.

Yimpact would turn to Mia San Nicolas in the final moments as she converted on a post fadeaway, plus the free throw from the foul to go up 10-9. Slay struggled to get a good shot up in the final four seconds of the game with Yimpact winning on San Nicolas’s final bucket.

The ladies were awarded $500 for a 1st place finish.

Aiken nails second game-winner

Craft Guam’s Reo Aiken had been hitting big shots all weekend long, but none bigger than his performance in the semifinals and finals. Aiken had nailed a two-pointer in the semi’s to beat the veteran group ‘Taya Bricks’ in overtime and his heroics would be called upon again in the finals.

The overtime period is a first to two, meaning a converted shot from down wins your team the game.

Stay Fresh’s big man Quaran Jones nailed a clutch free throw to send the game into overtime after Craft Guam’s Tony Hsieh converted a go-ahead jumper 11-10 with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Jones would get the first bucket in overtime. Craft Mamba corralled a rebound off of Hsieh’s missed free throw which turned into Aiken’s game-winner. Aiken got free off a pump fake and let loose the shot from deep, hitting front rim and getting the shooters roll to secure the $2000 prize.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY: