MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga rallied from an early deficit to beat Meralco Bolts, 21-19, in the finals of the PBA 3×3 Second Conference first leg at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Almond Vosotros caught fire for the Tropang Giga from outside. He finished with 10 points, including four straight points that turned a 17-19 deficit to a 21-19 score.
Samboy de Leon and debuting Rey Mark Acuno chipped in four apiece while Lervin Flores added three for Tropang Giga, which bagged P100,000 for topping the first leg.
“Sa panalong ito ngayon, everyone is involved. Lahat kami nagtulong-tulong para ma-maintain ang energy hanggang sa dulo,” said Vosotros, a former De La Salle University Green Archers gunner.
Tropang Giga 3×3 team head coach Mau Belen admitted that the players lost their momentum following a one-month break due to coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“It’s tough,” said Belen. “Feeling namin the momentum was stopped. Siguro almost once a week lang pahinga namin preparing for second conference and putting in new guys also into the system, luckily, it paid off.”
Tonino Gonzaga was the lone bright spot for the Bolts. He ended up with 11 markers to settle for the P50,000 second place prize.
Tropang Giga became the second team after reigning First Conference grand champion Limitless Appmasters to capture two legs in the PBA 3×3 so far.
Meralco and TNT arranged the finals showdown after scoring thrilling victories in the semifinals against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and the Appmasters, respectively.
The Kings, meanwhile, went on to beat Limitless, 21-17, to seal its third place finish in the PBA 3×3. Jollo Go, Denice Villamor, Encho Serrano and Jayson David netted P30,000 for the third place finish./PN
