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End Game are champs of men’s 3×3
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Posted on Oct 20 2021
End Game’s Eli Aughenbaugh, center, drives against Babeholics’ Frankie Satur, right, and Kristian Itaas during their finals match in the men’s open division of the NMIBF 3×3 Hoop Fest held last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Matthew Richardson, Coby Santos, Eli Aughenbaugh, and Eman Feria didn’t need an assist from Captain America and the rest of the Avengers to take home the championship of the men’s division of the NMIBF 3×3 Hoop Fest last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
With Richardson proving more ignitable than the Human Torch, End Game routed Babeholics in the finals, 17-9. The Rollers mainstay led the champions with 10 points, while Santos, Feria, and Aughenbaugh combined for the rest of the 7 markers.
Babeholics was paced by Frankie Satur and Khristian Itaas who both pumped in 4 markers, while Kayjay Kabiriel accounted for the other 1 point in the loss. Both End Game and Babeholics entered the championship game with unblemished 3-0 win-loss records.
Richardson said the championship in the men’s division was the icing in the cake of a fun weekend of basketball.
“Just wanted to say it was a fun experience going against some of our national team members and seeing where the competition on island has gone, too. It was competitive and overall I had a great time,” he said.
Santos, for his part, said he’s proud that his home team Ol’Aces went undefeated during the 3×3 tournament.
“Going undefeated was a challenge for us. All teams were split up evenly and every single of them have potential. Therefore, the road to the championship was not easy as everyone we faced put up a great challenge,” he said.
A total of eight teams battled for supremacy in the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation-organized tournament’s men’s division. Aside from the two finalists, also suiting up were the Outlaws, Roll’Aces, Tinian Typhoon, D. Cider, The Game, and Hole in the Wall.
The U18 division had six teams signing up, including champion Ol’Aces Real Deal, runner-up Chinatown Chargers, Tinian Typhoon, MadFlex, San Antonio Sixers, and the Rollers’ Undercooked Rolls.
The women’s division also attracted a bevy teams, among them Acers, Team Agape, Alley-Oops, That One Team, Shammi, Small Giants, CrushOver, Tinian Typhoon, Gang Gang, and BellaBalls. Results of the NMIBF 3×3 Hoop Fest women’s division will be published in tomorrow’s issue of Saipan Tribune.
