By JONAS TERRADO
Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines capped off its dominant run by overcoming a tough Nueva Ecija squad, 22-19, Friday to emerge as champion of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Joshua Munzon’s long two-pointer with 1:11 remaining in the title showdown dubbed as the “Million Peso Game” enabled Zamboanga City to reign supreme in the two-week competition inside the bubble and take home the P1-million top purse.
Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan and Troy Rike weathered a determined stand by Nueva Ecija, which reached the title game of the TM-backed 3×3 pro league after a 20-19 triumph over heated rival Butuan City-Uling Roasters.
The team of Jai Reyes, Gab Banal, Tonino Gonzaga and Maclean Sabellina led early and kept itself within distance despite chances by Zamboanga City to close it out.
Reyes made the game more interesting with a two-point shot to cut the margin to 20-19 after Pasaol missed two foul shots that could have sealed the deal. Banal had an opportunity to give the title to Nueva Ecija but his two-point attempt failed to connect.
That set the stage for Munzon to show why he is the country’s top-ranked 3×3 player as he coolly sank a long two off Reyes to give Zamboanga City the title.
“It was a tough game. I couldn’t make some shots to start the game but towards the end I was lucky enough to make the game-winner,” said Munzon, whose team is scheduled to represent Manila Chooks in next month’s FIBA 3×3 Doha Masters.
Zamboanga City capped off its stint inside the “Calambubble” with total earnings of P1,360,000 for winning the preseason and the three of the four legs of the President’s Cup. The only dash for the squad was a shock quarterfinal exit in leg No. 3.
As the top seed of the Grand Finals, Zamboanga City drew a bye before defeating Porac-Big Boss Cement 21-11 in the quarterfinals and pulling away late for a 21-16 triumph over Pasig-Sta. Lucia in the semis.
Nueva Ecija settled for runner-up honors worth P300,000 despite not failing to win a single leg and missing Juan Gomez de Liano after the inaugural staging of the conference due to an ankle injury.
Seeded third in the Grand Finals, the Rice Vanguards quickly ended the dream run of surprise quarterfinalist Roxas ZN-Petra Cement 21-11, then booted third leg champion Butuan City-Uling Roasters out of the final on Reyes’ layup in the last second.
Butuan, which lost Chico Lanete for the Grand Finals because of a shoulder injury, had a chance to win it before the horn but Chris de Chavez missed a two-pointer.
Tempers flared following the semis as Nueva Ecija and Butuan engaged in a shouting and shoving match backstage before cooler heads prevailed.
By JONAS TERRADO
Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines capped off its dominant run by overcoming a tough Nueva Ecija squad, 22-19, Friday to emerge as champion of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Joshua Munzon’s long two-pointer with 1:11 remaining in the title showdown dubbed as the “Million Peso Game” enabled Zamboanga City to reign supreme in the two-week competition inside the bubble and take home the P1-million top purse.
Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan and Troy Rike weathered a determined stand by Nueva Ecija, which reached the title game of the TM-backed 3×3 pro league after a 20-19 triumph over heated rival Butuan City-Uling Roasters.
The team of Jai Reyes, Gab Banal, Tonino Gonzaga and Maclean Sabellina led early and kept itself within distance despite chances by Zamboanga City to close it out.
Reyes made things interesting with a two-point shot to cut the margin to 20-19 after Pasaol missed two foul shots that could have sealed the deal. Banal had an opportunity to give the title to Nueva Ecija but his two-point attempt failed to connect.
That set the stage for Munzon to show why he is the country’s top-ranked 3×3 player as he coolly sank a long two off Reyes to give Zamboanga City the title.
“It was a tough game. I couldn’t make some shots to start the game but towards the end I was lucky enough to make the game-winner,” said Munzon, whose team is scheduled to represent Manila Chooks in next month’s FIBA 3×3 Doha Masters.
Zamboanga City capped off its stint inside the “Calambubble” with total earnings of P1,360,000 for winning the preseason and the three of the four legs of the President’s Cup. The only dash for the squad was a shock quarterfinal exit in leg No. 3.
As the top seed of the Grand Finals, Zamboanga City drew a bye before defeating Porac-Big Boss Cement 21-11 in the quarterfinals and pulling away late for a 21-16 triumph over Pasig-Sta. Lucia in the semis.
Nueva Ecija settled for runner-up honors and P300,000 despite not failing to win a single leg and missing Juan Gomez de Liano after the inaugural staging of the conference due to an ankle injury.
Seeded third in the Grand Finals, the Rice Vanguards quickly ended the dream run of surprise quarterfinalist Roxas ZN-Petra Cement 21-11, then booted third leg champion Butuan City-Uling Roasters out of the final on Reyes’ layup in the last second.
Butuan, which lost Chico Lanete for the Grand Finals because of a shoulder injury, had a chance to win it before the horn but Chris de Chavez missed a two-pointer.
Tempers flared following the semis as Nueva Ecija and Butuan engaged in a shouting and shoving match backstage before cooler heads prevailed.
