Malaysia vs Philippines in the 2019 SEA Games 3×3 basketball. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
It was beginner’s luck for Malaysia’s women’s 3×3 basketball team when they bagged a bronze at the Filoil V Centre in San Juan, Manila.
The sport was introduced for the first time in the SEA Games but the quartet of Pang Hui Pin, Tai Chia Qian, Yap Fook Yee and Eugene Ting Chiau Teng played like seasoned campaigners to beat Vietnam 21-7 in the playoff for the third spot Monday.
They had earlier missed out narrowly on the final after losing 14-16 to Thailand.
The match went to extra time after the two teams finished tied 14-14 before the Thais had the last laugh with two late goals.
Malaysia made the top four cut by finishing third in the six-team round-robin standings.
They won four out of the five matches to finish level nine points with Philippines, the eventual champions, and Thailand, losing out only by goal difference.
The results augur well as the 3×3 is set to debut in Tokyo 2020 next year and could become a regular program in future.