Game Results of the adidas Uprising Philippines 2017

The future of Philippine basketball is here.

The 3-Stripes brand welcomes a new batch of creators to the second adidas Uprising Philippines.

Elite high school basketball players spent another summer playing the sport they love as adidas Uprising Philippines opened its doors to them for the second time.

Launched in the Philippines last year, adidas Uprising is the 3-Stripes brand’s summer grassroots program that provides an exclusive platform for the next generation’s basketball stars to foster their game and skills, through a series of competitions.

“If anything, adidas Uprising aims to maximize the potential of our young basketball players. On the first year of Uprising, we have witnessed inspiring talent and passion through high school students who played their heart out in every game. On Uprising’s second year, we are looking forward to seeing that again – and more. Having 32 contending teams this year, we are bound to see more emerging creators in the world of Philippine basketball,” said Jen Dacasin, adidas Philippines Brand Communications and Sports Marketing Manager.

The participating teams in this year’s adidas Uprising were: 

San Beda Alabang

La Salle Greenhills A

La Salle Greenhills B

AHS A, Agila, AHS C

Kings Montessori Vikings

UST Tiger Cubs

Arellano University Braves

San Beda College Taytay (San Beda A)

San Beda College Taytay (San Beda B)

Mapua-Malayan Red Robbins

Diliman Preparatory School (DPS)

English Christian Academy (ECA)

Claret School

Lyceum Junior Pirates (LPU)

Jubilee Christian Academy

Colegio San Agustin Makati

Faith Academy Vanguards

AMA

Aqunas School

National University (NU)

Chang Kai Shek College (CKSC)

Jose Rizal University (JRU)

Notre Dame

Malabon High School

San Sebastian College

San Ildefonso Bulacan HS

Marist

Letran

Philippine Cultural

Taytay Captains (Taytay HS)

Following a knockout tournament format, the opening matches were held on May 13 and 14, followed by the elimination games, which happened from May 15 to 19. The series of games were culminated by the championship game on May 20 where San Beda College Taytay A bested the Mapua-Malayan Red Robbins with a score of 76-64. The battle-for-third game was also held earlier that day with National University beating La Salle Green Hills A with a score of 72-44. All games were held at the Titan Love Court in Bonifacio Global City.

After a week of intense games between some of Manila’s top high school teams, the adidas Uprising PH 2017 tournament was concluded last May 20 (Saturday) at the Titan Love Court in BGC. Among the 32 teams that participated, San Beda College Taytay A finished the strongest, earning the title adidas Uprising PH Champions.

Below for the list of special awards given during the tournament:

Special Awards 

MVP 

Penny Estacio (San Beda) 

1st Mythical Team 

Penny Estacio (San Beda)

Giam Quiambao (Mapua) 

Lloyd Oliva (Mapua) 

Joshua Benaflor (San Beda) 

Justine Sanchez (San Beda) 

2nd Mythical Team 

Julian Jugo (LSGH) 

Ernest Felisilda (NU) 

Kenji Duremdes (LSGH) 

Kyle Rivera (LSGH) 

Kevin Quiambao (NU)

adidas Dame 3 Performance Review

3 years. 3 Damian Lillard models. And it gets better year after year.

The Lillard 1 made me switch from retro adidas basketball kicks (TMacs and Kobes mostly) to the more modern models. The Lillard 2 was so good I stuck with one on-court model (in different colorways, of course) for nearly an entire year. The Dame 3 will likely make me do the same.

Let me get right into the details.

Fit

adidas continues to use a Techfit bootie on Lillard’s signature line, again improving on the design with each iteration. The Dame 3 has a lower ankle collar height and a tighter bootie than the Lillard 2. The inside of the shoe is also padded in the heel area and contoured with the foot. The tighter bootie and the padding help keep the heel secure and prevents heel slippage, a common occurrence in low-tops. 

The shoe’s best feature is the new lacing system. The multiple holes on the side panel allow the wearer to customize the fit and adjust tightness based on preference. If you like the foot-hugging, tight fit then lace all the way to the bottom. If you’re like me and like it just right, then use the second row. For people with really wide feet who need as much space in the shoe, you can use the top set of holes. 

A minor drawback to me is the side panel’s durability. As you can see in the photo, there are a couple of lace holes which have already started to widen and there’s some scuffing on the top part due to friction from the laces. I’m waiting for other colorways to see if they change the material and make them more durable against friction and stretching. 

The shoes run long and wide, and I recommend going a half size down on these for that 1:1 fit. I personally prefer some wiggle room so I went true size. Getting your foot into the bootie will be challenging at first, but a shoe horn helps slide your foot in smoothly. The bootie also seems to have been constructed better compared to the 2’s so I don’t expect any ripping issues.

Stability and Support

Aside from the wide base, adidas incorporated some key features that help with stability. 

The triangular section on the heel serves not just as an anchor point for the side panel lace holes, but also as a heel counter to keep the rear part of your foot locked down. Coupled with the raised midsole wrap, this ensures that your heel is held firmly in place to keep you stable at all times.

The second feature is the midfoot TPU wrap that hugs the middle part of your foot. I initially felt a raised section in the midfoot, which caused some discomfort, but after an hour or so on court that section flattened out and I haven’t felt anything else since. 

The fused mesh upper provides both support and flexibility. The breathable material is reinforced around the toe area to contain the foot during those quick changes of direction, but the rest of the area is soft enough that it gives you a semi sock-like feel. They’re the right thickness as well to protect your feet when stepped on. 

The two sets of lace loops go all the way to the inside of the shoe and are anchored to the midsole. This lets you tighten that part really well to prevent your feet from sliding around. They’re designed well as I didn’t feel them biting into my foot unlike with other basketball shoes I’ve used in the past.

Overall, I felt very stable and secure in these shoes. I never felt any concerns about rolling my ankles or suddenly slipping and falling. Although primarily designed for guards, these could be an option for big men who prefer low-tops for that added ankle flexibility.

Cushioning

Bounce once again lives up to its name, and this time giving even more energy return.

I instantly felt the difference as soon as I slipped my foot into the shoe. Even while wearing thin socks, I could feel the bounciness in the forefoot. It’s almost a similar bounciness to my Pureboost ZGs. 

On court, I loved the impact protection it gave me during landings. The Bounce cushioning does its job well without sacrificing court feel, which is critical to majority of people who play in the backcourt. I averaged 2 hours per session during testing and my legs and knees felt great at the end of each run.

The cushioning isn’t all in the forefoot though. Bounce is still there in the heel, and it helps make running up and down the court easier and smoother. Heel-to-toe transitions are pretty good, too, since there’s good proportion to the cushioning in the front and back of the shoe. 

I’m still liking Bounce over Boost as a basketball cushioning system, but that’s just my personal preference. Boost can be too mushy at times while Bounce has that firmness that I like while static, but with the right plushness when needed.

Traction

I saved the best part for last. 

The grip on these babies is UNBELIEVABLE. Sticky and squeaky on any and every surface I’ve played on, they really allow for quick takeoffs and changes in direction. Even on the dustiest court I was on, the shoes were squeaking all over the place and kept me planted with every step.

The traction pattern adidas used on the Dame 3 works really well. Dust was never a problem and I never had to wipe even once. As with the other pairs I test, I didn’t clean the shoes throughout the testing period to see how they’ll hold up, and the shoes provided consistent traction throughout.

A big surprise for me is the durability. As I was looking at the soles while preparing to write, I didn’t see any obvious signs of wear other than the dirt. Considering that I used these nearly daily for two weeks, I’m amazed at how durable these outsoles are. 

I won’t recommend them for blacktop or concrete courts, but on hardwood, smooth cement, or painted courts you’ll definitely like the traction these shoes provide. 

Overall

Priced the same as the D Lillard 2, these won’t break the bank as much as other signatures would. With adidas’s 3STRIPES coupons or Titan 22’s TPC discount, the shoes could go for lower than its PhP 5,995 SRP (other colorways may be priced higher).

Damian Lillard’s signature line continues to evolve and improve, and it’s us consumers who benefit every year. The Dame 3 gives me all I want in a basketball shoe—excellent traction, good cushioning without sacrificing court feel, and a customizable lacing system that gives me the level of lockdown and stability that I need.