Almond Vosotros nailed the game-winning deuce as TNT squeaked past hard-fighting Meralco Bolts, 21-20, in overtime to reign supreme in the PBA 3×3 Second Conference grand finals on Monday night at the Ayala Malls Trinoma.
The Triple Giga extended their dominance in the three-a-side game finale for the sixth straight time.
The 33-year-old Vosotros topscored for nine points and delivered just in time to thwart what had been the most serious threat to its championship reign.
The Bolts twice came close to upending the defending champions, but couldn’t deliver when it mattered most as Jeff Manday, Raymar Caduyac, and Alfred Batino all missed out on potential game-winning baskets both in regulation and in overtime.
“We trusted each other that as long as they’re not making their baskets, we’ll get the ball back and we’ll have a chance to win,” Ping Exciminiano said of the win worth P750,000.
Gryann Mendoza finished with six points and Exciminiano and Chester Saldua combined for another six points for the Triple Giga of coach Mau Belen.
It was the sixth straight conference championship for TNT dating back to the Third Conference of Season 1, and moved the team to the cusp of repeating its grand slam feat from last season.
Likewise, it was the perfect finishing touch to a dominant drive that saw the Triple Giga win five of the six legs at stake.
The Bolts copped the P250,000 runnerup purse, with Manday leading the charge with seven points and Caduyac adding six.
The top two seeded teams arranged the title match by closing out their respective semifinal opponents. TNT plastered Pioneer Elastoseal, 21-13, while the Bolts hammered out a 22-16 win over Cavitex Braves.
In the battle for third and the P100,000 prize money, the Elastoseal edged out the Braves, 16-15.
Meanwhile, a new scoring king was hailed at the end of the conference in big man Brandon Ramirez of guest team MCFASolver. He beat out Manday for the individual plum by finishing with 229 points to receive P30,000.
