STEALING the thunder from the big guns, the Sista Super Sealers made a clean sweep of their assignments and reigned supreme in Leg 3 of the PBA 3x3 Lakas ng Tatlo Sunday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Sista's Kenneth Mocon, Leo de Vera, Prince Rivero and RJ Argamino made a killing from beyond the arc and hustled their opponents no end en route to a fiery run through six games capped by an emphatic 20-13 rout of guest team Pioneer Pro Tibay in the finals.
Mocon rifled in nine points, making four of the team's seven two-balls, while Argamino added six markers to take scoring cudgels in the clincher for Sista, which broke free from a 7-6 count with a telling 13-2 bomb.
With the leg triumph, the Super Sealers completed their turnaround from a squad that laid a big fat egg (0-3) in the opening leg to a winner that didn't drop a single game in the third leg. In between, the Juven Formacil-coached side reached the quarterfinals of Leg 2.
"Gusto talaga namin manalo. Since the start, first leg pa lang, every game we learned. And alam namin sa sarili namin na magkakaroon ng time na ito nga, yung chemistry namin mabubuo na talaga nang solid. And we did really well," said Mocon.
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Sista - Rain or Shine's team in PBA 3x3 - joined powerhouses TnT Tropang Giga and Meralco in the leg victors' club and won P100,000 for this feat.
The Pioneer crew of Gian Abrigo, Christian Rivera, Carlo de Chavez and Carlo Escalambre brought home P50,000 for their runner-up finish.
Meanwhile, Terrafirma 3x3's Matt Salem, Dhon Reverente, Jebb Bulawan and Terrence Tumalip posted their first podium finish with a 21-16 win over Purefoods TJ Titans. The Dyip netted P30,000, which the team has pledged for the hospital expenses of their injured captain Roider Cabrera.
On the way to the summit, the Super Sealers eked out a pair of hard-earned victories in the KO rounds.
Sista banked on De Vera's clutch deuce as they edged Limitless in the quarterfinals, 17-16, then benefited from three two-point conversions in the end game to turn back the Titans in the semis, 19-15.
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Before reaching the finals, Pioneer toppled two heavyweights in Leg 2 runner-up Platinum Karaoke in the Last-8, 21-19, and erstwhile unbeaten Terrafirma in the Final Four, 16-15, on a winning layup by De Chavez. (OL)
The Scores:
Semifinals
Pioneer Pro Tibay 16 - De Chavez 7, Escalambre 6, Rivera 3, Abrigo 0.
Terrafirma 15 - Reverente 9, Bulawan 4, Tumalip 2, Salem 0.
Semifinals
Sista Super Sealers 19 - De Vera 8, Mocon 7, Rivero 2, Argamino 2.
Purefoods TJ Titans 15 - Eriobu 10, Javelona 2, Mendoza 2, Bonsubre 1.
Battle for Third
Terrafirma 21 - Salem 11, Reverente 6, Bulawan 3, Tumalip 1.
Purefoods TJ 16 - Eriobu 7, Javelona 5, Bonsubre 2, Mendoza 2.
Finals
Sista Super Sealers 20 - Mocon 9, Argamino 6, Rivero 4, De Vera 1.
Pioneer Pro Tibay 13 - Abrigo 6, Rivera 5, De Chavez 2, Escalambre 0.
