Malaysian quartet finish runners-up in FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup

PETALING JAYA: There was plenty of cheers for the Malaysian women cagers in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in Mongolia.

The quartet of Pang Hui Pin, Yap Fook Yee, Eugene Ting and Tai Chia Qian – all members of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games gold-medal winning squad – finished an impressive second in Ulan Bator on Sunday.

The Malaysians went down 15-21 to a strong Australian side in the final.

The result is a great boost for Malaysia in the 3x3 discipline as Foo Suet Ying, Chow Pui Yee, Lim Jing Zhe and Yap Siew Hong also took the silver in the FIBA 3x3 Under-18 Asia Cup in May.

Prior to the final against Australia, Malaysia won all their matches in Group C. They beat Qatar 19-4 and Turkmenistan 19-11 on Saturday.

Malaysia then pulled off the upset of the tournament by beating top seeds Kazakhstan 15-13 in the quarter-finals before crushing India 19-13 in the last four.

Unfortunately, Malaysia were unable to get the better of Australia, who were powered by the 1.88m-tall Isabelle Bourne. The 16-year-old Bourne was eventually named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Malaysia also clinched an award through Fook Yee who came out tops in the shootout contest.

The 24-year-old scored 12 points in a minute to edge out China’s Zhang Jiabin who had 11 points. Kazakhstan’s Zalina Kurazova finished third with nine points.

There was, however, no cheer for the Malaysian men after they fell short in the qualifying tournament.

The team of Heng Yee Tong, Thea Zhong Shin, Gan Teck Hwa and Fong Yen Yee beat Turkmenistan 21-10 but lost 10-21 to Australia.

Hosts Mongolia emerged champions after beating New Zealand 19-14 in the final.