CALAMBA, Laguna – Joshua Munzon came to the rescue of Family’s Brand Sardines-Zamboanga City Chooks, coming through with a crucial basket for a
19-17 overtime win over Palayan City in the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup powered by TM Tuesday at the INSPIRE Sports Academy here.
A JP Sarao foul on the Filipino-American winger that resulted in a freebie gave Zamboanga City the advantage. After a Bobby Balucanag turnover, Munzon swooped to the basket for the game-winner in the Pool D contest sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board and endorsed by FIBA 3X3
Earlier, Sarangani was able to exact vengeance against Bacolod-Masters Sardines, 21-13, to open Pool A action.
Marvin Hayes fired eight points in the contest, all from downtown.
In other contests, the Zamboanga Valientes MLV torched Petra Cement Roxas ZN, 21-11 (5:45) in Pool B while Gab Banal and Nueva Ecija overpowered Bicol-Paxful 3×3 Pro, 21-13 (6:44) in Pool C.
Zamboanga fell behind 16-9 with three minutes left butTroy Rike, Santi Santillan, and Munzon knocked down three straight deuces to slice the lead down to just one, 17-16.
Santillan then powered his way to the paint for a sweeping hook to send the game into overtime.
“We are going through what every team goes, the highs and the lows. Just got to go through it,” said Munzon who vowed to rebound from a 21-18 defeat to
Pasig-Sta. Lucia in the third leg of this tournament that has Gatorade as its official hydration partner last Sunday.
Rike had five points as Santillan and Alvin Pasaol were limited to just three points, respectively.
Eight more elimination round games, the knockout playoffs, and the TM side events are still taking place as of publishing.
