By JONAS TERRADO
Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines lived up to its preseason billing after outlasting Butuan City-Uling Roasters, 21-17, Wednesday night to capture the first leg of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Joshua Munzon scored four of the final seven points as Zamboanga City came back from being down 17-14 with over two minutes to go to seal the win and the top purse of P100,000.
The victory came two nights after Zamboanga City, composed of Munzon, fellow national team mainstay Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike and Santi Santillan, ruled the preseason tournament inside the bubble.
They picked up from where they left off as Zamboanga City swept Pool A of the TM-backed competition with wins over Zamboanga Peninsula-MLV, 21-14, and upset-minded Sarangani, 22-19.
Zamboanga City downed Porac-Big Boss Cement, 21-17, in the quarterfinals and beat Nueva Ecija, which played without the injured Juan Gomez de Liano (ankle), 21-19.
Butuan settled for a runner-up finish after topping Pool B by beating Pagadian City, 21-12, and Pasig-Sta, Lucia, 21-13.
The squad composed of Franky Johnson, Chris de Chavez, Karl Dehesa and Chico Lanete beat Bacolod City 21-16 before preventing an all-Zamboanga final with a 21-17 triumph over Zamboanga Peninsula in the semis.
Meanwhile, De Chavez topped the two-point shootout while Jesus Manay stunned veteran David Carlos to rule the Slam Dunk competition.
