WHO can stop mighty TNT?
Buoyed by their title win in the First Conference grand finals last week, the Tropang Giga hardly showed signs of slowing down and nipped hard-fighting Platinum Karaoke 17-15 in overtime yesterday to bag the crown in Leg 1 of the PBA 3×3 Season 2 Second Conference at the Robinsons Place Antipolo.
Gryann Mendoza played the hero’s role for TNT, bombing in the game-winning two-pointer at the buzzer.
Gunner Almond Vosotros fired eight points, while Lervin Flores added five markers for the Tropang Giga, who squandered a 10-6 edge in regulation.
Mendoza also had four points as TNT took home the top cash prize of P100,000 at the expense of the same Platinum Karaoke quartet it beat in the grand finals last Sunday.
“Every opportunity, grina-grab talaga namin kasi hindi natin alam kung kailan ito darating. So hangga’t may chance makapaglaro at makagawa ng record, iga-grab namin,” Vosotros said. “Siguro may hangover pa kami from the grand finals at medyo nabitbit namin sa first leg. We hope ma-continue namin itong winning ways.”
The triumph stretched the Tropang Giga’s streak that included the fifth and sixth leg victories and the grand finals of the previous First Conference.
TNT has nine leg diadems and two conference crowns overall.
Platinum Karaoke forged extension on Yutien Andrada and Nico Salva’s baskets and a crucial defensive gem of TH Tumalip on Mendoza at the end of regulation.
Salva paced Platinum Karaoke with four points, while Brandon Bates also got four markers.
Andrada contributed two as Platinum Karaoke settled for P50,000.
Ginebra tripped Cavitex 21-13 in the battle for third for P30,000.
