EwiEwi, Boo’d Up triumph

A U16 player fakes off his defender during their 3×3 game in the Pacific Games 3×3 Qualifiers Series 1 held over the weekend at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

EwiEwi and Boo’d Up earned contrasting wins in the finals to top the Pacific Games 3×3 Qualifiers Series 1 held over the weekend at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Boo’d Up eased its way to a finals victory in the women’s open division after routing CTSI, 19-6, while Ewi Ewi nosed out the Tinian Typhoons in the boys U16, 13-11.

Ewi Ewi, which was made up of Anthony Laraja, Darryl Soriano, Drew Bayot, and Oldie Roligat, managed to rule the kick-off of the Pacific Games qualifiers despite dropping its first two games. Tinian defeated EwiEwi in last Friday’s round-robin game, 10-9, and the latter also lost a close match versus Boys Housing last Saturday morning 11-9.

For its third assignment, EwiEwi this time was on the winning end of a down-to-the-wire game against Rollers, 18-17. EwiEwi then made it two in a row following a 15-11 triumph over Boonkgang. EwiEwi went on to move into the finals after another thrilling win over Wong in the semifinals, 13-12, before completing the upset and avenging its preliminary round loss to the Tinian Typhoons.

Before being stunned by EwiEwi, the Tinian Typhoons entered the finals with a 5-0 record. Tyler Santos, Eron Borja, Jared King, and Sir-lashu Dela Cruz played for Tinian and they defeated Rollers, Boonkgang, and Wong in the preliminaries. Then in the semis, the visiting squad was paired with Boys Housing and notched an 11-7 win to set up a finals duel with EwiEwi.

In the women’s open division, Boo’d Up had a perfect record in the five-team competition.

Eleina Santos, Kamakshi Visvanathan, Lia Rangamar, and Tazha Deleon Guerrero played for the champion squad, which downed Geeks & Sneaks, Big Ballers, Smashers, and CTSI in the round-robin games before dominating the latter in the finals.

Meanwhile, 4 of a Kine completed the winners’ list in the Pacific Games Qualifiers Series 1 organized by the Marianas Islands Basketball Federation.

The quartet of veterans Peter Camacho, Elias Rangamar, and Lawrence Renguul and gunner Preston Basa handed 4 of a Kine a 21-17 finals victory against Purpla Haze. 4 of a Kine finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, beating Get Lost first last Friday, 18-9, before bowing to Purple Haze’s Mii Tekopua, Freddie Pelisamen, James Kintz, and Leroy Rangamar last Saturday, 17-19. 4 of a Kine battled back and prevailed over Mixed Breed in the semis to get a second crack at Purple Haze.