2-time PBA MVP Miller falls short; Serbian tops streetball tilt

Willie Miller proudly represented the country in the 2016 Red Bull King of the Rock World Finals in Serbia. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Willie Miller made it as far as the second round representing the Philippines in the 2016 Red Bull King of the Rock World Finals on Saturday at Mali Kalemegdan, Belgrade, Serbia.

Miller was one of the 32 competitors from 20 countries which participated in the world’s largest one-on-one street basketball competition.

Hometown boy Stefan Kojić topped Lithuania’s Karolis Šarukas in the championship round, 14-12, to be crowned as this year’s King of the Rock, while Russian Alexei Zakarov finished in third place.

Miller got the nod to represent the country after Robbie Herndon, who won the Philippine leg of the tournament, begged off.

Qualifiers were held in Cebu, Caloocan, and Quezon City, with the 24 best ballers converging last March in Intramuros.

There, Herndon bested Miller in their epic encounter in King of the Rock’s first foray in the country.