2018 3x3 World Tour: Mexico City Masters Review
Twelve teams put on a great show of basketball as they went in search of glory at one of the most popular venues on the World Tour - Perisur Mall in Mexico City. There would be plenty of excitement along the way, but in the end, two teams who started the tournament would be the same two that would end it.
Sao Paulo surged through the qualifying pool with wins over Mexico City and Buenos Aries, and they then went on to show both Saskatoon and Princeton in the main tournament - winning both games in dramatic fashion, by a single point.
Saskatoon and Princeton were left to fight it out for the runners-up spot in Pool D, and with a three point victory it was Princeton who would live to fight on day two.
Bahia Blanca were poised for a big upset, leading Piran early on before going three down with just over two minutes left. Franco Rusega gave them hope with a late two, but Piran's work in the paint helped them see out the game as winners.
The Argentinians were then emphatically dispatched by NY Harlem, who beat them 21-10, and the Americans went on to pull off a second big victory against Piran, this time by seven points, to finish at the top of Pool A. Piran's win against Bahia Blanca saw them also advance in second place.
Amsterdam opened Pool B with the biggest victory of day one, 22-9 against Villa Maria, who were them eliminated altogether after a 22-14 loss to Rio Di Janeiro. The final fixture would decide the final order in the pool, and Amsterdam's strength and experience would help them clinch victory by 18 points to 15, as well as top spot.
Ponce opened Pool C by leading Ljubljana 5-0, and the Puerto Rican team continued to move the ball well and find the best open looks to keep the Slovenian giants at bay. After a final shot attempt by Ljubljana was ruled out, Ponce pulled off an incredible victory by 20 points to 18.
More drama was to follow in the remaining Pool C fixtures: Ponce were first taken down 21-17 by Delhi, who in turn were defeated by Ljubljana by seven points. Each team finished with a 1-1 record, and with the lowest point average, Delhi were the team that missed out. Ponce finished in first place, with Ljubljana also advancing past the Pool stage as runners-up.
Ljubljana redeemed their shortcomings of the previous day with a one-point quarter final defeat of NY Harlem after teetering on the edge of defeat. Ponce’s impressive form followed them into day two, as they took down top-seeded Piran 21-18. Sao Paulo’s run in the competition was brought to an end by compatriots Rio Di Janeiro, while Princeton put on a dominant display against Amsterdam, advancing to the semi-finals with a 20-14 victory.
Rio Di Janeiro’s time in Mexico City came to an end after a heavy defeat to Ljubljana, 22-9, while the other semi-final matchup proved far more suspenseful. With good long-range shooting and ball handling, Ponce were able to keep their heads above water against Princeton, who kept the game tight thanks in part to their outside shooting threat.
With the scores tied at 19 down the stretch, Will Martinez got a two-pointer to drop, ending the game and sending Ponce, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, through to the final.
The final would be a repeat for the first pool fixture for both teams- Ponce of Puerto Rico and comeback kids Ljubljana of Slovenia. Again, Ponce seemed to have the early edge, leading by four at the mid-way point and for much of the latter part of the contest. Ljubljana took the lead after three two-point shots in a row, and showing alertness and strength from close range, Ljubljana ran out to the best possible conclusion: champions in the Mexico City Masters.
In addition, there was more spectacle to be had in the Dunk Contest:
The world tour now goes on a two week break before starting up again in an all-new setting: northern India, for the inaugural Hyderabad Masters. A full review will appear here in time, while more on the 2018 World Tour can be found by following this link to the official website.
