There’s hardly rest for the PBA 3×3 Season 2 as it unveils Leg 1 of the Second Conference right away on Saturday at Robinsons Place Antipolo Extension.
TNT Tropang Giga are just a week removed from ruling the First Conference grand finals, but now start their campaign anew as they eye to sustain the dominant performance they had that made them the toast of the season’s inaugural tournament.
Almond Vosotros, Lervin Flores, Ping Exciminiano, and Gryann Mendoza will again answer the call for the telecommunication franchise coached by Mau Belen.
The same TNT quartet defeated Platinum Karaoke in the First Conference grand finals, 20-17, to run away with the top purse of P750,000.
The Tropang Giga are grouped with San Miguel Beer and NorthPort in Pool D.
The Beermen, who lost to Cavitex in the playoffs of the grand finale, will be parading a new recruit in Carlo De Chavez to go along with regulars Jeff Manday, Ken Bono, and Wendel Comboy.
De Chavez previously played for Pioneer Elastoseal and was a second round pick of Magnolia in the last PBA draft.
Pool A, meanwhile, is consists of guest team J&T Express, Terrafirma 3×3, and Pioneer Elastoseal, Pool B will have Purefoods TJ Titans, Meralco, and Barangay Ginebra, while bringing up the rear in Pool C is Cavitex, Blackwater, and Platinum Karaoke.
The Titans of coach Tonyboy Espinosa, who failed to advance in the grand finals, added Andrew Estrella to their roster that include Nichole John Ubalde, RR De Leon, and main man Joseph Eriobu.
Semifinalists Meralco and Cavitex also made roster changes in a bid to start their second conference campaign on a bright note.
Coach Patrick Fran activated Kenneth Mocon and Joseph Manlangit to team up with Alfred Batino and Reymard Caduyac for the Bolts, while the Braves’ Emman Monfort lined up big man Tzaddy Rangel and Sherwin Concepcion together with the deadly duo of Bong Galanza and Jorey Napoles.
Terrafirma faces Pioneer Elastoseal to open Leg 1 that will have another compact, 12-game schedule on Day 1.
The two teams in each group are going to advance in the knockout stage Sunday, where the ultimate survivor gets to win the P100,000 cash prize.
