TNB, Team Glaziers champs again in 3×3

Team Nesian Built and Team Glaziers continued their domination on the court as they remain the champions in the NMIBF Marianas Arsenal 3×3 Basketball Series at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

TNB defeated Net Rippers, 21-9, last Saturday, while as there were only two teams in the women’s division, Team Glaziers and The Angry Penne (Alley-Oopsie Daisies) went head-to-head in a best out-of-five matchup last Tuesday, winning three straight games for the championship.

TNB was down one man with Jack Lizama out due to an injury, but Coby Santos, Preston Basa, and Douglas Schmidt kept the shots coming to outscore Net Rippers’ Greg Sablan, Jeffrey Castro, and Jack Aranda.

With time left to spare, TNB reached 21 points after a barrage of 2-pointers from Santos and Schmidt sealed the win.

Team Glaziers’ Jan Travilla, Kaia Travilla, Madi Alegre, and Miki Kautz outplayed Antonette Labausa, Connie Camacho, Kina Rangamar, and Irish Pagarao in all three games—13-10, 8-4, and 9-6.

TNB’s Basa after their finals game said that they just continued with their strategy of scoring. Their inside man Lizama was out due to injury, so they relied on outside shots, which was a quick strategy to 21 points.

As for the chance of representing the CNMI in the upcoming FIBA Asia 3×3 Cup in Singapore this March, Basa said, “We’re all part of the national program so we’re staying fit. We’ve discussed getting together more and really practicing more of the three-on-three concept because it’s very different from five-on-five.”

If they get the green light on representing the CNMI in Singapore, Basa said they might sit Lizama down in the last 3×3 games this month. The pool for CNMI is out already, with the men’s division in Draw B that’s made up of the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

Basa, on his thoughts of the draw, said they’re looking forward to it. “We’re excited. It’s gonna be tough. Those are all countries we’ve never played. We’re so used to playing just the Micronesian Islands, but we’re excited. We want to go and gain experience and bring back whatever we can to pass down to the youth or members of the national program.”

In the men’s division, TNB leads in the points system with 190 points; Net Rippers is second with 130 points; third is Hagu Real Hoops at 80; La Mesa Kusina (Eats Easy) and Shots Fired are at 60 points each; Team Elite is at 50; Risers and Tupu Kingz are tied with 40 points; K2 Ballers and Team Priority Care have 30 points each; Toka has 20 points; and Socho, Brawlers, 10-7, Scorgasm, Tuntunizers, and KagBros are at 10 points each.

Team Glaziers lead the women’s division with 180 points; second is The Angry Penne (Alley-Oopsie Daisies) with 130 points; Swish Kebabs is third at 70 points; Teine Aerto is at 30; and Dunkin’ Donuts are at 20 points.

The last matchup in the series is set for Thursday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 24, with the champions going to the FIBA Asia 3×3 Cup in Singapore to be finalized.