Swiss team Lugano overcome upset by Singapore to become 3x3 champions
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Lugano's Westher Molteni goes for a point during the 3x3.EXE Super Premier final on March 29.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
- Lugano won the 3x3.EXE Super Premier final, beating Japan's Utsunomiya Brex 21-15 after overcoming an initial loss to Singapore.
- Singapore's 3x3 team, despite losing to Utsunomiya Brex, gained confidence from their win against Lugano, viewing the tournament as crucial preparation.
- Singapore aims to thrive in 3x3 basketball, with upcoming tournaments including the Fiba 3x3 Asia Cup and World Cup Qualifier in April.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Immediately after Bikramjit Gill sank the match-winning free throw to clinch a 21-15 victory over Japan’s Utsunomiya Brex in the 3x3.EXE Super Premier final on March 29, the Lugano team embraced one another on court.
Gill’s roar then reverberated through the three-level Sengkang Grand Mall, as more than 150 spectators and passers-by responded with applause and cheers.
But, just 24 hours earlier, the mood was far more sombre as the Swiss team were “in a bit of a hole”.
On the first day of action on March 28, Lugano found themselves on the wrong end of a giant killing, losing 18-17 to underdogs Singapore despite a height advantage.
While Canadian professional player Gill, 33, did not reveal what they discussed after the loss, he said: “The loss (against Singapore) put us in a little bit of a hole. We could have been eliminated. It motivated us to get to where we are.
“In basketball, especially 3x3. It’s a short game, right? So there are a lot of highs and lows.
“You have short turnarounds and you got to focus on the next game. So we didn’t let it rattle us.”
Their opening Pool B loss to the hosts was a wake-up call, as they bounced back to beat Japanese outfit Shonan Seaside 22-9 on March 28 to seal a place in the last eight.
On March 29, they beat Thailand’s RN Sport 19-14 and Australia’s Brisbane 3x3 21-19 in the semi-finals, before a convincing triumph in the final which earned them 7,500 Swiss francs (S$12,100) and a main-draw spot at the May 15-16 FIBA World Tour in Zadar, Croatia.
It was also redemption for the Swiss team, after their final defeat in the second stop in Thailand on March 22. As a result, they were denied a clean sweep in the three-stop series, having won the title in Sendai on March 1.
On what the win means for his team, Westher Molteni said: “We came to this league trying to win every stop, knowing that the level of the local team is going up year by year.
“Losing that one (in Thailand) was a tough one... we made too many mistakes and totally threw away the game. This time, we were focused on what we prepared.”
(From left) Lugano’s Bryan De Valck, Thibaut Vervoort, Westher Molteni and Bikramjit Gill.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Touted as the world’s largest professional 3x3 basketball league system, the Super Premier competition features a 12-team field of play-off qualifiers and invited guest teams.
The three-stop series concluded in Singapore, which is hosting the event for the first time.
While Lugano return with the coveted trophy to become the second Swiss team to win the series in three editions, Team Singapore will hope to take the momentum to future competitions.
On the first day of action, Singapore – comprising captain Nur Aufa Emil Putra, Ching Zhen Yu, Xu Duanyang and Liam Blakney – also ran Shonan close before they suffered a 21-19 overtime defeat.
Following their giant-killing run against Lugano, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 21-12 loss to Utsunomiya Brex.
They will next compete at the Fiba 3x3 Asia Cup (April 1-5) and the Fiba 3x3 World Cup Qualifier on April 11 and 12 at The Kallang’s OCBC Square.
Singapore captain Nur Aufa Emil Putra attempting to dribble past Lugano's Thibaut Vervoort.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The national men and women’s teams have also qualified for the July 23-Aug 2 Commonwealth Games and are in the running to compete at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from Sept 19 to Oct 4.
Blakney said: “We played a good game on the first day and on the second day, it could have been a lot better. We have a lot of stuff to work on but overall, it’s been a good tournament.”
On what the victory over Lugano does for the team’s confidence, the 20-year-old added: “I think the whole team knows our capability.
“We do belong (on this stage). We do all feel like we belong. But that win just showed everyone else that we belong here.”
Blakney also hopes that the 3x3 format will garner more support, as Singapore hosts more top-tier tournaments.
He added: “A lot of times when you say basketball, people think it’s 5x5. But it’s a growing sport worldwide and I feel like Singapore can really thrive in it... it suits us more than 5x5 does.
“We beat Lugano yesterday. And I hope that can show that we can actually win things for Singapore.”
