Teng takes over as Philippines wins 3×3 World Cup closer

Chooks-Pilipinas 3×3 soaks in the appreciation from the Filipino fans after its campaign in the 2017 Fiba 3×3 World Cup. Photo by Fiba.com

Jeron Teng took charge late as the Philippines turned back El Salvador, 21-14, to close its 2017 Fiba 3×3 World Cup campaign on a positive note Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) at Parc des Chantiers de I’lle in Nantes, France.

The former La Salle stud scored four of the Filipinos’ last six points before Kiefer Ravena, who was still nursing a wounded left elbow from the Slovenia game, sealed the victory with a booming two-pointer with 1:18 left on the clock.

Teng and Ravena both led the Philippines with seven points each.

JR Quiñahan collected four markers, while Kobe Paras had three as the Philippines wrapped up its schedule with a 2-2 record good for third in Pool B.

Though already out of the race for a quarterfinals spot, the Filipinos showed grit early on, grabbing an 11-6 lead.

Teng’s stupendous play gave the Philippines an 18-10 advantage, but the Filipinos rushed on finishing the game as they went for long bombs, which worked to the favor of El Salvador as the hulking Julio Benjamin Mancia trimmed the deficit to as low as five, 18-13.

The Filipino crew settled down from that point, as Teng scored on a drive followed up by Ravena’s game-clinching jumper to end the country’s rally on a high note.

Mancia and Carlos Antonio Arias finished with five points apiece for the winless El Salvador squad, while Roberto Antonio Martinez got four in the defeat.

The Scores:

PHILIPPINES 21 – Teng 7, Ravena 7, Quiñahan 4, Paras 3.

EL SALVADOR 14 – Arias 5, Mancia 5, Martinez 4, Escoto 0.