BOCAUE, Bulacan — Dejan Majstorovic showed why he is the “Maestro” of FIBA 3×3 play.
Majstorovic nailed the game-winning basket as Serbia clinched the first seat in the championship game of the FIBA 3×3 World Cup by beating Poland, 21-19, at the Philippine Arena here on Tuesday.
Majstorovic scored an off-the-glass deuce with the shotclock winding down as the Serbians rallied to beat the Polish squad looking for another giant slaying.
Poland, behind Michael Hicks, raced through a 13-8 lead midway through the knockout match.
But Serbia showed why it is the defending champion of the tournament, slowly creeping back and eventually forced a 19-all tie.
Poland could not break the tie, even though its defense forced Serbia to go for a shot with just two seconds left on the shotclock — and a little less than 1:30 left on the game clock.
Majstorovic went for one dribble and forced the long heave that hit the glass before going in.
Serbia will face the winner of the other semifinal battle between Slovenia and the Netherlands in the championship match later Tuesday. (Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA)
