Master Sardines suffered a heartbreaking 20-19 loss to Sista in its PBA 3×3 Second Conference debut, Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Fishing Champs, the latest to join the standalone league, was all set to celebrate when Levi Hernandez drilled the game-winning deuce from the corner as time expired. But the officials waved off the basket following reviews.
Replays showed that he had failed to clear the ball, as his right foot was still on the line when he pulled the trigger over the defense of Leo De Vera.
De Vera himself immediately contested to the referee that Hernandez did not have both feet outside, and was later on vindicated after the thorough check.
The Super Sealers then walked away with the one-point win, joining the new-look Barangay Ginebra on top of Pool A with identical 1-0 records.
New guy Jan Jamon led the winning side with eight points. De Vera had six, while Kenneth Mocon and another newcomer in JJ Manlangit scored three each as the team began life without Prince Rivero on the right foot.
Still, it was a solid first game for Master, who practically took over the void left by Zamboanga as the Valientes took a leave of absence for the conference.
The Vic Ycasiano-mentored crew actually trailed by three with 2:37 remaining, but climbed back and even took a 19-18 lead following a lay-up from Mon Mabayo off a baseline drive with less than 30 seconds left.
Mocon, though, tied the game up moments later. De Vera then put Sista ahead with a shot from point-blank with 2.8 ticks left.
That’s when Hernandez replied with the tough jumper. But his heroics went for naught due to his failure to clear the ball before taking the shot.
Hernandez led the Fishing Champs with eight points. Mabayo supplied five points, as Mychole Sorela and Cyrus Tabi had three apiece.
Master has a chance to get its first win versus the Gin Kings later at 10:05 a.m. It would wrap up its Day 1 campaign versus Terrafirma at 12:35 p.m.
The Fishing Champs will surely have their hands full against the Barangay, who opened Leg 1 with a 15-14 win over the veteran-laden Platinum Karaoke.
Photo by PBA Images
Ginebra actually lost a three-point lead but Jollo Go was there for the gutsy go-ahead bucket. They went on to heave a huge sigh of relief as Yutien Andrada missed both of his free throws with eight-tenths of a second left.
Go and new faces Encho Serrano and Jayson David all finished with five points apiece in the victory.
Photo by PBA Images
In the third match, TNT sneaked past San Miguel, 20-19, in Pool B action. The Tropang Giga withstood the dominant halfcourt debut of veteran center Ken Bono, who powered the Beermen with 14 points.
Photo by PBA Images
NorthPort, meanwhile, came from behind and stunned the undermanned Purefoods, 20-16. New guy Joshua Webb led the Batang Pier with seven markers as they capitalized on the absence of Titans star Joseph Eriobu.
The Scores:
First game:
Ginebra 15 – Go 5, Serrano 5, David 5, Villamor 0.
Platinum 14 – Alabanza 6, Monteclaro 5, Salem 2, Andrada 1.
Second game:
Sista 20 – Jamon 8, De Vera 6, Manlangit 3, Mocon 3.
Master Sardines 19 – Hernandez 8, Mabayo 5, Sorela 3, Tabi 3.
Third game:
TNT 20 – De Leon 7, Vosotros 6, Flores 6, Acuno 1.
SMB 19 – Bono 14, Manday 3, Vigil 2, Mangahas 0.
Fourth game:
NorthPort 20 – Webb 7, Revilla 5, Calisaan 4, Olayon 4.
Purefoods 16 – Acuna 9, Javelona 5, Bonsubre 2.
