Aoi Katsura's decision to return to the country yielded a positive result as she led Zoos Tokyo to the Manila Hustle 3×3 Season 2 title before a packed crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena over the weekend.

The Japanese superstar spearheaded her squad to a convincing title finish that was highlighted by a 21-13 win over the Titans in the finale.

"We really wanted to come back so bad. We're very happy that we came back with my favorite roster and we're happy with the result," Katsura, who emerged as Most Valuable Player, said.

But more than the on-court triumph, what stood out for Katsura was the level of play in the second staging of the Philippine women's 3×3 international invitational presented by Uratex and Smart.

"I'm very, very impressed with these kinds of tournaments with international teams. Manila Hustle is one of the toughest tournaments out there so I'm very happy to win this time," Katsura said.

It also helps that the fans were deeply appreciative of the level of play, cheering on every play for two straight days.

And for the players, it just gave them the added lift they need to continue this sprint, not just for the locals but also for the international players with nine foreign teams also participating in this prestigious event.