New finals foe, same result for TNT

- Advertisement -

FANCIED TNT battled a surprisingly new foe in the title match yesterday but that did not matter–the Triple Giga reached the Promised Land anew.

HUSTLE: TNT’s Chester Saldua races for the ball against Terrafirma’s Jeremiah Taladua and Jordan Rios. PBA 3X3 PHOTO

TNT made short work of Terrafirma 21-11 to bag the title in Leg 2 of the PBA 3×3 Season 3 Second Conference at the Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati.

Gryann Mendoza spearheaded the Triple Giga’s charge with eight points after coming in as late substitute for the injured Matt Salem.

- Advertisement -

Mendoza and the returning Almond Vosotros led TNT’s hot start, racing to an 11-6 lead to take control of the 10-minute match.

A Chester Saldua deuce put TNT on the hill 20-11 before Ping Exciminiano finished the job with a layup with plenty of time to spare.

The dominant win was worth another P100,000 for the Triple Giga, who just won the opening leg last week.

“Kapag nag-start na ang conference, naka-focus na ako kaagad sa game namin,” Mendoza, also the hero of TNT’s 18-16 decision over Cavitex in the Leg 1 final last week, said. “Hindi ko inaalis iyon whatever, kung reserve man ako (o hindi).”

Exciminiano also had five markers and Vosotros, re-activated for the leg, and Saldua had four each as TNT completed a five-game sweep on the way to the crown.

The runner-up purse of P50,000 was the best finish Terrafirma had since a similar runner-up sting in Leg 4 of Season 1 Third Conference.

The Dyip appeared ready to complete a day of the underdogs that saw Blackwater and Pioneer Elastoseal Katibays reaching the semifinals.

But TNT ousted Pioneer in a hotly contested tiff 20-19, while only one among Terrafirma and Blackwater will have to advance, which the Dyip did via a 21-16 win.

In the battle for third, Pioneer Elastoseal took home P30,000 by beating Blackwater 22-18.

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: