Limitless App emerged as the first-ever PBA 3×3 grand champions after topping Platinum Karaoke, 18-16, Wednesday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Heroes were aplenty as the Appmasters withstood the opposition’s fightback by flexing the very same poise that enabled them to become the league’s first back-to-back winners after owning the fifth and sixth legs.
The Phoenix Petroleum franchise has also taken home P750,000 for reigning supreme in this Level 5 FIBA 3×3 tournament.
“It always feels good when your hard work pays off. And we worked really hard to get this. And we did this three times in a row. It’s unprecedented,” said Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser. “I’m just so proud of everybody here.”
Ganuelas-Rosser led Limitless with seven points. Reymar Caduyac produced five points, while veteran forward Marvin Hayes supplied four.
The Appmasters were quick to seize control of the match, with Caduyac the one responsible for doubling his side’s lead, 14-7, with 3:54 remaining.
Grace under pressure, though, was exemplified by Platinum. Behind the hot shooting of Chris de Chavez and the steadiness of Karl Dehesa, the guest team was able to tie things up at 16-all with 43 seconds to go.
Dehesa, however, was called for a foul on Napoles with 32.8 seconds left, which gave the latter two free throws as it was Platinum’s eighth foul.
Napoles, amidst the jeers from the crowd in attendance at the Big Dome, missed the first. But the lanky winger was able to make up for it in the next shot, giving his side a precarious one-point advantage.
Dehesa tried to tie the game up again but missed his fallaway jumper following a series of moves against the defense of Napoles.
Napoles secured the ball and immediately gave it to Caduyac, who then called for an iso and attacked the defense of the much bigger De Chavez for a tough, back-breaking lay-up with only 9.1 seconds to spare.
De Chavez launched from the corner afterward, but his shot fell short. Caduyac got the rock and burned the clock as Limitless erupted in jubilation.
“Sobrang happy ko. Naabot namin ‘yung Grand Finals,” expressed Caduyac. “Ito kasi yung pinagtrabahuhan namin since day one.”
“Sobrang saya, yung pagod namin nasuklian e, since day one talaga e. Eto na yung sukli sa amin,” added Napoles, who finished with two points.
History makers, Limitless was among the four seeded teams in the quarterfinals, where they finished off San Miguel, 21-15. The Appmasters then took down maiden leg champs TNT, 21-16, in the semis to reach the finals.
De Chavez had six points to lead Platinum, who missed another chance to reach glory after falling short in the previous legs.
The loss is undeniably a heartbreaker for the guest team, who was tagged as the favorites right from the start due to its players’ FIBA 3×3 pedigree.
Like Limitless, Platinum was also among the top four teams heading into the Grand Finals. It beat fellow guest squad Pioneer Pro Tibay in the quarters, 21-15, before downing Terrafirma in the semis through a 21-10 demolition.
Meanwhile, the Tropang Giga secured a third-place finish in the grand finale after downing the Dyip, 22-14.
Almond Vosotros led the way with 12 points as the Tropang Giga also bagged home P100,000.
The Scores:
Limitless App 18 – Rosser 7, Caduyac 5, Hayes 4, Napoles 2.
Platinum Karaoke 16 – De Chavez 6, Dehesa 5, Andrada 3, Alabanza 2.
