The boys from Kajonkiet International School (KIS) Phuket and Phuket Wittayalai School were competing in both the under-14 age group and the under-12 age group at the 14th Asia Pacific Cup 3x3 Basketball Tournament held last month in Malaysia.
The tournament was hosted at the International School of Kuala Lumpur between Mar 23-25 and saw a total of 36 teams from 10 countries competing against one another in boys and girls age-specific categories.
The tournament was organised by the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) and is recognised at international level, operating under global standards with professional courts, certified referees, and official game statistics systems. The event also serves as a scouting platform, where young athletes are observed by coaches and academies for future opportunities.
The KIS Hawks from Phuket demonstrated exceptional skills on court amid intense competition against genuinely tough opposition, which almost saw them advance all the way to the final showdown in their respective age groups.
The U-14 team, comprising of KIS Phuket trio Kant, Wansuk and Chiryu, who were joined by Patrick Adams from Phuket Wittayalai School, battled valliantly on court to just miss out on a place in the final and ultimately secure a third place finish.
Meanwhile, their younger counterparts, consisting of Prinn, Pat, Samy and Mete, all from KIS Phuket, performed in a similarly impressive manner to finish fourth in their age category, agonisingly close to the final match.
Regardless, it resulted in both teams receiving awards and widespread acclaim for their collective efforts, an achievement that school officials stated afterwards brought great pride, while highlighting the students’ resilience, teamwork and determination.
Furthermore, it demonstrated that Phuket can produce and develop athletic talent that is able to compete impressively on the global stage against very strong and able opposition, something that with sustained commitment and hard work can only continue to improve in future.
In addition to the KIS Hawks from Phuket, teams competing across all age groups in boys and girls competition came from Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Nepal.
The winners were as follows: U-12 boys, Skyflash (Indonesia); U-14 girls, LCMBA (Malaysia); U-14 boys, SJBC (Malaysia); U-16 girls, Hanoi Girls (Vietnam); U-16 boys, Fastbreak (Singapore); U-18 boys, KIS (Kinabalu International School, Malaysia).