NEW year, new champion.
MCFASolver nipped San Miguel Beer 19-17 yesterday to bag the Leg 2 title of the PBA 3×3 Third Conference at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.
The Tech Centrale outgunned the Beermen 6-1 to break away from a tight 11-all count and take a 17-12 lead, before surviving a late charge by their opponent to win the top purse of P100,000.
Brandon Ramirez outdueled Ken Bono in the battle of big men, finishing with nine points and four rebounds in leading MCFASolver to its second Leg crown this season.
The victory also avenged the quartet’s loss to Meralco in the Leg 1 Big Dance just before 2023 came to an end.
Louie Vigil chipped in seven markers, while Terrence Tumalip and Yutien Andrada combined for three points for the team of coach Anton Altamirano.
SMB made it an unlikely finals duel with MCFASolver after ousting Blackwater in the semis 21-16 as upsets marred the quarterfinals of the knockout stage with losses by perennial contenders Meralco and TNT.
The Beermen were led by Pao Javelona with six points as they took home P50,000 for placing runner-up for the second time this season since the opening leg of the First Conference.
San Miguel battled back from a five-point deficit and threatened at 17-18 with 7.0 ticks left.
The Beermen even had a chance to send the game into overtime after Vigil missed the second of his two free throws for a two-point MCFASolver lead.
But Javelona muffed the potential game-tying deuce as Vigil grabbed the rebound to secure the win for Tech Centrale.
Earlier, Tonino Gonzaga fired 10 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field to power Cavitex past a hard-fighting Blackwater side 20-19 in the battle for third place.
The Braves won P30,000 as they made up for their 21-19 loss to the Tech Centrale in the semifinals.
