Mark Cruz wins NCAA 3-point shootout title

Mark Cruz holds up his three-point shooting competition trophy. Photo by Randolph Leongson/INQUIRER.net

Mark Cruz was smoking hot from the get-go and ran away with the NCAA Three-Point Shootout title after outlasting Wilson Baltazar in the Finals Friday at San Juan Arena.

Tallying 26 points in the eliminations after draining four balls and the money ball in the first rack to go with a perfect final rack, the Letran guard kept himself waxing hot in the championship round to finish with 18.

It was enough to outlast Baltazar, who went cold in the Finals with only nine points after going for 22 in the eliminations.

“I just played it because if you get pressured, that’s when your shots miss,” said Cruz.

Reigning three-point king Travis Jonson fell short of defending his title after only having 18 points in the eliminations.

Other participants in the shootout were Amiel Soberano (17 points), Ryan Costelo (11 points), Gerald Dizon (16 points), Paolo Pontejos (17 points), Exequiel Biteng (17 points), John Kenneth Zamora (18 points), and Jozhua General (14 points). CFC