MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga overcame a tough challenge from sister team Meralco Bolts to score a 21-19 overtime and clinch the PBA 3×3’s Season 2 leg 1 title held recently at Robinsons Place Antipolo.
Almond Vosotros waxed hot from long range to top-score with nine points, while Chris Exciminiano added eight markers, including the game-winning basket for the Tropang Giga.
The recent victory kept the Mau Belen-mentored Tropang Giga’s tradition of winning the first leg championships after sweeping the first stops of the three PBA 3×3 basketball conferences last season.
“Mindset namin is manalo sa Leg 1. Crucial kasi ang Leg 1 para maganda ang panimula sa season,” said Exciminiano. “Chemistry ang naging advantage namin kasi magkakasama na kami last conference pa.”
With Exciminiano and Vosotros at the forefront, the Tropang Giga seized a 17-12 lead going to the last 2:30 of regulation. But the Bolts unleashed a 7-2 blast capped by Tonino Gonzaga’s buzzer-beating equalizer from deep to force extra time.
Samboy de Leon kicked off the scoring for the Tropang Giga in the extension period with a layup for a 20-19 lead before Exciminiano sealed the title with a conversion from a pass by Vosotros.
Gonzaga and Alfred Batino led the way for the Bolts with six markers apiece as they suffered their third loss to the Tropang Giga in leg championship games.
With the championship, the Tropang Giga bagged the top prize of P100,000, while the Bolts’ new-look crew of Gonzaga, Batino, Kenneth Mocon and Leo de Vera settled for the P50,000 runner-up purse.
On their way to the championship round, the Tropang Giga prevailed over newcomer J&T Express, 18-15, while the Bolts outlasted Platinum Karaoke in extra time, 18-16, to arrange a title showdown.
Platinum crew of Terrence Tumalip, Yves Sazon, Yutien Andrada and Nicholas Salva took third place honors worth P30,000 after beating J&T Express in the third-place game, 12-10./PN
