AN old winner returned to its lofty place yesterday.
Meralco 3×3 eked out a 19-14 victory over guest team J&T Express to bag the crown in Leg 3 of the PBA 3×3 Season 2 First Conference at Robinsons Place Las Piñas.
Burly big man Alfred Batino notched nine points, grabbed five rebounds and had two blocks for the Bolts, who wound up with their first leg diadem since ruling the second conference of last season’s Third Conference.
Batino boomed in a clutch two-ball to ignite a telling 9-2 blitz that gave Meralco a 15-10 edge in the last 3:18.
J&T last threatened at 16-13 but the Bolts doused cold water on the upstart squad with Leo de Vera’s two-pointer and Batino’s basket.
Meralco mainstays Batino and Tonino Gonzaga and their new teammates de Vera and Reymar Caduyac took home P100,000 that hiked the franchise’s overall collection to four leg titles.
“It feels great to win a leg again in the same venue,” Gonzaga, who was injured and on the reserve roster when the Bolts last claimed leg first place last May.
“Ginawa lang namin ang best namin at nagtiwala sa isa’t isa,” added Caduyac, who joined Meralco after a solid stint with Limitless.
J&T’s Robin Rono, Keith Datu, Jeric Teng and Joseph Sedurifa, a former Meralco player, settled for runner-up honors worth P50,000, while delivering for the league newcomers their best finish after fourth and fifth place finishes in their first two leg appearances.
Meralco advanced to the final after scoring a 16-15 semifinals triumph over TNT, which beat the Bolts in the Leg 1 finale.
J&T reached the Big Dance after bringing down Leg 2 champion Cavitex in the semis 18-17 on two inside baskets by Datu in overtime.
Cavitex’s Jorey Napoles, Tzaddy Rangel, Dominick Fajardo and Bong Galanza completed the team’s second straight podium finish after trouncing the Tropang Giga 21-13 in the battle for third for P30,000.
