For a change, TNT faced a different opponent in a leg final of the Philippine Basketball Association 3×3.
The result remains the same, though.
The Triple Giga made short work of Terrafirma, 21-11, and made it back-to-back in the Second Conference Season 3 Tuesday at the Ayala Mall Circuit in Makati.
Gryann Mendoza paced the team in the Leg 2 final with eight points after coming in as late substitute to the injured Matt Salem.
Mendoza and the returning Almond Vosotros spearheaded 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 off the job with a layup with still 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.
“When the conference starts, I’m focused on the game. I don’t mind if I’m starting or just a reserve,” said Mendoza, hero of the team’s 18-16 victory over Cavitex in the Leg 1 finale, who was a last-minute call to replace Salem.
Exciminiano finished with five and Vosotros, re-activated for this leg, and Saldua had four each as TNT completed a five-game sweep on the way to the championship.
The runner-up purse of P50,000 was the best finish Terrafirma had since a similar runner-up finish 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 semifinal match up, 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.
