Mix Breed takes men’s open title

Mix Breed’s Coby Santos, left, blocks Team Ali’i Blue Haus’ Errol Peredo during their semis game in the men’s open division of the Marianas International Basketball League 3×3 Tournament yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Mix Breed was unscathed in the Marianas International Basketball League 3×3 Tournament to clinch the men’s open division crown in the weekend event played at the Civic Center court and Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Mix Breed had a 7-0 record in the tournament, capping their perfect mark with a 21-11 victory over JPdoubleD yesterday at the Ada Gym. Matches in the 3×3 tournament were all originally scheduled at the Civic Center, but were moved to the covered court at the Oleai Sports Complex due to rain.

Young guns Dean Blake, Greg Sablan, Coby Santos, and Franko Bondoc suited up for Mix Breed, while veterans Jack Lizama, Dan Barcinas, Douglas Schmidt and Jeff Deleon Guerrero played for the runner-up JPdoubleD.

Mix Breed was in Pool B in the elimination round and ended up in first place after defeating four squads. It started its streak with a 21-4 rout of Super Supreme, while the last three victories were against Trey Way, 20-19; Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, 19-10; and 3logy, 21-13. With its 4-0 mark, Mix Breed went on to be paired against Tinian at the start of the playoffs and cruised to a 20-8 win to move into the semifinals.

In the Final Final round, Mix Breed battled Team Ali’i Blue Haus for the last finals berth and withstood the former’s late rally to escape with a 15-13 victory. Errol Peredo knocked in a 2-pointer to threaten Mix Breed and Ali’i Blue Haus had a chance to knot the count when the eventual champion lost the ball in the ensuing possession. However, Peredo’s desperation trey was off, allowing Mix Breed to keep the win and the last finals ticket.

Earlier in the first Final Four game, JPdoubleD edged 3logy, 13-9, to take the first finals seat. Before going to the finals, JPdoubleD earned a 3-1 mark in the elimination round after beating Team Ali’i Blue Haus, 20-17, The Kuyas, 21-16, and The Game Elite, 15-11. JPdoubleD lone loss in the preliminary was against Tinian (default), while the former topped Fiesta Resort in the quarterfinals, 19-3, to set up a semis date with 3logy’s Pete Lizama, E.J. Abejo, Sean Rabasto, and Paulo Rafols.

In the semis, JPdoubleD leaned on its outside shooting to gain control of the game, which became intense in the closing minutes with Jack Lizama and Rafols jostling for position in the paint. 3logy cut the deficit to two, 8-10, down to the final minute of the match after Sean Rabasto’s 2-pointer, but Schmidt countered with his own 2-point basket to bring JPdoubleD to the one-game finals.

JPdoubleD met another set of young players in Mix Breed, but this time youth prevailed over experience.