Shinjuku Givers Dominate Shorthanded Uratex Dream to Claim Cebu Hustle 3x3 Crown

Shinjuku Givers captured the inaugural Cebu Hustle 3x3 title in dominant fashion, routing a shorthanded Uratex Dream side 21-8 in the finals on Sunday at SM Seaside City.

Esther Ibeh set the tone early, and Yumi Takakuwa caught fire as the Japanese club raced to a 9-0 lead and never looked back.

Takakuwa, a former Uratex Dream import, finished with six points, while Ibeh powered the attack with seven points and five rebounds. The Nigerian center was named tournament MVP for her standout performance.

“We fought from the beginning until the end and I'm very happy that we got the win and I got to show my skill,” said Ibeh, who was playing in her first-ever 3x3 tournament.

She was joined in the Mythical Three by Uratex Dream’s Li Renzhu and CT Tigers’ Kiri Endo. Mizuno Naho added four points, while Milai Mori sealed the victory with a corner two-pointer with 1:31 remaining.

The Givers completed a perfect tournament run, topping Pool A on Day 1 before beating fellow Japanese side Maurice Lacroix 14-9 in the quarterfinals and edging Thailand’s CT Tigers 21-19 in a thrilling semifinal.

Despite the heavy loss, Uratex Dream showed heart. Li Renzhu led the Philippine side with four points, including their first basket of the game with 7:11 left. Kaye Pingol added three points, and Sam Harada scored one as the Dream settled for runner-up honors.

Uratex was forced to play the final with only three players after Angel Surada was sidelined following their tense 13-12 overtime semifinal win over Pilipinas Aguilas.

CT Tigers completed the podium with a 15-12 victory over Pilipinas Aguilas in the third-place game. Kiri Endo, who also won the Two-Point Shootout, led Thailand with six points and four assists, including a crucial late jumper.