THE Philippines was unable to qualify to the quarterfinals of the FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup but it won’t go home from Xi’an, China empty-handed.
RJ Abarrientos, nephew of Philippine basketball icon Johnny Abarrientos, ruled the Shootout Contest on Sunday, edging Aleksandr Antonikovskii of Russia.
Both Abarrientos and Antonikovskii finished with 9 points but the Filipino guard finished six seconds faster than the Russian.
This marks the first time that a male player won the mixed shootout contest.
The Philippines’ Janine Pontejos won the gold medal in the shootout of the FIBA 3×3 World Cup earlier this year at the Philippine Arena.
The Filipinos – composed of Abarrientos, Ricci Rivero, Rhayyan Amsali, and Jeepy Faundo – finished ninth overall in the Under-18 World Cup. (ABS-CBN News)
