AFTER yielding the spotlight to Limitless and the other heavyweights, Pioneer Pro Tibay turned in a brilliant performance in the most important of battles to reign supreme in the PBA 3x3 Second Conference Grand Finals.
Cheered on by a big group of supporters led by the team owner himself, the Pro Tibay met their destiny as the standalone league's first champion guest squad with a 12-10 verdict over Sista Super Sealers Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Lester del Rosario's brave troops started the day with a huge 16-14 overtime reversal over the top-seeded Appmasters in the quarterfinals then sustained the charge with a similar 16-14 squeaker over Barangay Ginebra in the semis.
"Sabi ko sa kanila, laban lang, tignan natin kung saan tayo abutin ng effort natin. Pero ginusto talaga nila," said del Rosario if his crew of Gian Abrigo, Christian Rivera, Carlo Escalambre and Robin Rono.
The Pro Tibay won P750,000 as they joined First Conference champion Limitless in the small club of grand winners. This despite not being able to win a single leg throughout the inaugural season.
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Del Rosario got his biggest achievement as coach and dedicated it to his late father, Aric.
"Para kanya ito. Mas masaya sana kung andito pa siya," he said as he shed tears.
Sista's Jan Jamon, Kenneth Mocon, Joseph Manlangit, and Jamil Gabawan, who earned a finals trip with a 13-12 upstaging of No. 2 TNT, banked P250,000.
Barangay Ginebra took third place honors worth P100,000 with a 21-16 disposal of TNT.
Tropang Giga gunner Almond Vosotros consoled himself with the Best Scorer of the Conference award with 360 points. The two-time scoring titlists netted P30,000.(OL)
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The Scores:
Game 6
Ginebra 22 - David 8, Serrano 6, Go 5, Villamor 3
Platinum 19 - De Chavez 10, Banal 5, Andrada 2, Monteclaro 2
Quarterfinal 1
Pioneer 16 - Abrigo 7, Rono 4, Rivera 3, Escalambre 2
Limitless 14 - Caduyac 5, Rosser 5, Napoles 3, Hayes 1
Quarterfinal 2
Ginebra 21 - Serrano 9, David 7, Villamor 5, Go 0
San Miguel 12 - Bono 7, Vigil 2, Austria 2, Rogado 1.
Quarterfinal 3
Sista 16 - Jamon 8, Mocon 6, Manlangit 2, Gabawan 0
Meralco 15 - Batino 7, Sedurifa 3, Gonzaga 3, Maiquez 2.
Quarterfinal 4
TNT 18 - Vosotros 9, De Leon 5, Javier 3, Acuno 1.
Terrafirma 17 - Taladua 6, Reverente 5, Tumalip 4, Tubid 2.
Semifinal 1
Pioneer 16 - Abrigo 6, Rono 5, Rivera 4, Escalambre 1.
Ginebra 14 - David 4, Serrano 4, Go 4, Villamor 2.
Semifinal 2
Sista 13 - Jamon 5, Mocon 5, Gabawan 3, Manlangit 0.
TNT 12 - Javier 4, Vosotros 3, Acuno 3, De Leon 2.
Battle for Third
Ginebra 21 - Go 11, David 5, Villamor 4, Serrano 1.
TNT 16 - Vosotros 8, De Leon 5, Javier 2, Acuno 1.
Finals
Pioneer 12 - Abrigo 4, Rivera 4, Rono 2, Escalambre 2.
Sista 10 - Jamon 6, Manlangit 2, Gabawan 1, Mocon 1.
