Just like in the previous conference, Limitless became the PBA 3×3 Second Conference’s first repeat champions after edging TNT, 22-19, in the Leg 5 final, Sunday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Jorey Napoles led the way with 11 points as he made life difficult for the Tropang Giga once again — like what he did during their Leg 3 final encounter and in the semis of the following stop. He also had two rebounds and two steals.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser supplied five points, including the game-winning deuce from the corner with 2:33 left to play as the reigning grand champs bagged home their fourth leg title overall in the PBA’s halfcourt competitions.
Reymar Caduyac supplied four markers while Marvin Hayes added two as Limitless won Php 100,000 again, in the process raising their total earnings to P1.23 million in this FIBA 3×3 Event Level 5 tournament.
Limitless successfully bounced back from its loss to Meralco in the Leg 4 final last March 20, where it lost hold of an early lead and never recovered.
“We looked at it as [a reminder that] we’re not invincible,” said head coach Willy Wilson shortly after the match. “It was a reminder that you gotta play every game like it’s your last. And if you don’t, that’s what can happen.”
It marked yet another chapter in what’s been a brewing rivalry between the Appmasters and the Tropa, undeniably two of the league’s top squads.
“They definitely give us the most problems,” said Wilson. “We play them pretty much every single leg, and it’s mostly they’re in the semis or the finals. It’s good for the sport, it’s good for the fans — rivalries draw in the views.”
Almond Vosotros led TNT with 11 points in the loss. He kept his side in the thick of the fight and even put them ahead. 18-16, with 3:21 left following a two-point play, until Napoles and Ganuelas-Rosser took over from there.
Lervin Flores had six points, while Chris Javier and Martin Gozum scored a point apiece for the Tropang Giga, who settled for Php 50,000.
Meanwhile, Platinum Karaoke escaped Purefoods, 18-17, to secure a third-place finish — their best placing in the conference thus far.
Ryan Monteclaro led the pack with six points, while Chris De Chavez made five for the guest team, who bagged home Php 30,000.
Joseph Eriobu led Purefoods with eight points in a losing cause. The lefty guard was visibly dejected after the match as it took him a while to leave the court.
The scores:
Final
Limitless 22 – Napoles 11, Rosser 5, Caduyac 4, Hayes 2.
TNT 19 – Vosotros 11, Flores 6, Javier 1, Gozum 1.
Battle for third
Platinum Karaoke 18 – Monteclaro 6, De Chavez 5, Andrada 4, Banal 3.
Purefoods 17 – Eriobu 8, Bonsubre 5, Mendoza 3, Acuna 1.
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