Uratex Dream continues to prove that the Philippines has a bright future in women’s 3×3 basketball.
The club reached the semifinals of the Asia Tour 3×3 at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall over the weekend, impressing fans as they fought tooth and nail against the best national teams in the Southeast Asian region.
“Nakakatuwa din kasi club team kami pero nakakasabay kami sa mga national teams. Magandang feeling yun and I think we can inspire more to play and continue to raise the level of women’s basketball in the Philippines,” said team owner Peachy Medina.
Led by Kaye Pingol, Sam Harada, Shanda Anies, and Eunique Chan, Uratex Dream advanced to the knockout stages of the women’s division and earned a victory against the Malaysian national team.
Unfortunately, the squad suffered a close defeat to SEA Games silver medalists Vietnam led by Truong twins Kaylynne and Kayleigh before bowing to Sniper Thailand led by world no. 285 Supavadee Kunchuan in the semifinals.
Understandably, the loss left a bad taste on the players’ mouths. “Kulang pa. Higher pa ang goal namin at alam naming marami pa kaming mai-improve pa,” said Pingol, the no. 5-ranked women’s 3×3 player in the country.
Even Medina could concur, saying, “Third place isn’t bad but our ambitions are greater than that.”
Uratex Dream is looking to make a quick turnaround as it prepares for an invitational tournament in Korea come June, with Pingol promising, “We’ll work harder pa.”
All of this only pushes the club to strive harder as it looks to carry the mantle and further raise the awareness for women’s 3×3 basketball in the country, one that it already sparked through the Manila Hustle 3×3 event back in February.
“Bago mag-umpisa yung game, tinitignan ko yung crowd kasi usually umaalis sila pag women’s games. Pero nag-stay sila and they cheered us for every shot we made,” said Medina. “We are really reaching people who would never take notice of women’s basketball before and for us, it’s already a win.”
