A TEAM led by Kaye Pingol did the country proud by reaching the semifinals of the Asia Tour 3×3 at the Mall of Asia recently, impressing fans by giving the top national teams in the Southeast Asian region fits.
Pingol, the No. 3×3 player in the country, combined with Sam Harada, Shanda Anies, and Eunique Chan as Uratex Dream fought tooth and nail in the inaugural Asian tournament.
“Nakakatuwa din kasi club team kami pero nakakasabay kami sa mga national teams,” team owner Peachy Medina said.
“Magandang feeling iyon and I think we can inspire more to play and continue to raise the level of women’s basketball in the Philippines,” she added.
The team advanced to the knockout phase of the women’s division and scored a big victory against the Malaysian national team.
The squad, however, suffered a close defeat to SEA Games silver medalist Vietnam, led by Truong twins Kaylynne and Kayleigh, before bowing to Sniper Thailand led by world No. 285 Supavadee Kunchuan in the semifinals.
Understandably, the loss left a bad taste on the players’ mouths.
“Kulang pa. Higher pa ang goal namin at alam naming marami pa kaming mai-improve pa,” Pingol said.
Added Medina: “Third place isn’t bad, but our ambitions are greater than that.”
Uratex Dream is looking to make a quick turnaround as it prepares for an invitational tourney in Korea in June, with Pingol promising, “We’ll work harder.”
All of this only pushes the club to work doubly hard as it looks to carry the mantle and further raise awareness for women’s 3×3 basketball in the country, one that it already sparked through the Manila Hustle 3×3 event back in February.
“Bago mag-umpisa iyong game, tinitingnan ko iyong crowd kasi usually umaalis sila kapag women’s games. Pero nag-stay sila and they cheered us for every shot we made,” Medina said.
“We are really reaching people who would never take notice of women’s basketball before and for us, it’s already a win.”
The Philippines is competing anew in the 3×3 women’s event in the Cambodia SEA Games, with Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Khate Castillo, Kacey Dela Rosa, Janine Pontejos, Kristine Cayabyab, and Mai Loni Lashae’ Henson making up the national pool.
