MERALCO simply could not be denied yesterday.
The Bolts fended off a late game fightback by fancied TNT and carved out a thrilling 19-18 decision to bag the title in Leg 3 of the PBA 3×3 Third Conference at the Ayala Malls Fairview Terraces.
Pint-sized Jeff Manday played the hero’s role for Meralco with 12 points and lifted the franchise to a second leg crown this conference.
But the quartet of coach Patrick Fran needed to thwart a spirited comeback by the Triple Giga from six points down with a minute and 28 seconds and made a fight out of it.
After Manday converted on his final two-pointer that made it 19-13 for the Bolts, TNT battled back behind Gryann Mendoza and Ping Exciminiano, whose deuce with 25 seconds to go cut Meralco’s edge to just a point.
But the Triple Giga failed to convert from there as Meralco walked away with the victory worth P100,000.
Alfred Batino, Joseph Sedurifa, and JJ Manlangit accounted for the rest of Meralco’s output as the team duplicated the same feat it did during Leg 1 of the tourney.
Playing without gunner Almond Vosotros, Chester Saldua led the way for TNT with eight points as they took home the P50,000 runner-up purse.
Meralco earlier eliminated last week’s winner MCFASolver in the semifinals 21-19, while TNT subdued San Miguel Beer 21-17 in their won semis encounter.
Denied a back-to-back title, MCFASolver beat San Miguel for third place 15-12.
Louie Vigil had a team-high 10 points for the Tech Centrale, who settled for the P30,000 purse.
