BEFORE proving it has what it takes in the Southeast Asian region, Limitless App realized a feat never been done previously in the tourney yesterday.
The Appmasters held off the TNT Tropang Giga 21-20 to bag the title in the second conference’s third leg and become the first team to rule three legs of the PBA 3×3 Lakas Ng Tatlo at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Lanky big man Jorey Napoles notched a game-high 14 points, including four down the stretch, none bigger than the putback off a Brandon Rosser miss that sealed Limitless’ third leg title overall for the 3×3 team of the Phoenix franchise, and fourth counting the grand finals of the inaugural conference last year.
Napoles also scored on a long two-pointer and then sank a technical free throw to put the Appmasters in front 20-19 after trailing 7-12.
Samboy De Leon knotted the game at 20-all with a basket from the charity stripe, before Limitless leaned on Napoles’ heroics.
The victory was worth P100,000 for the Appmasters, who will represent the country in the 3×3 event of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May in Vietnam.
“It took a while,” Limitless coach Willie Wilson said of his team that last made it to the finals of the standalone tournament during the December grand finals.
The Appmasters went unbeaten in six games en route to the Promised Land anew.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser added six markers including a long two that ignited Limitless’ fiery fightback from five points down.
Almond Vosotros paced TNT with nine points, while De Leon added seven, but fell short of winning another leg crown after topping the opening leg of the second conference.
The Tropang Giga pocketed P50,000.
The Appmasters hurdled Meralco 16-11 in the semifinals, while TNT survived a gritty Terrafirma side in overtime 21-19 in overtime on a game-winner by Vosotros to forge the title duel between the two teams considered the best in the league’s half-court game.
In the battle for third place, Tonino Gonzaga hit two straight clutch baskets and Alfred Batino the clinching free throw in the Bolts’ 21-18 decision over the Dyip to take home P30,000.
