MCFASolver bounced back with a vengeance for the New Year, holding off San Miguel, 19-17, to emerge as the Leg 2 champion of the PBA 3×3 Season 3 Third Conference, Tuesday at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
The Tech Centrale outscored the Beermen 6-1 to peel off from a tight 11-all contest and take the 17-12 lead, before withstanding a late surge by their more experienced opponents to win the P100,000 top purse.
Brandon Ramirez finished with nine points and four rebounds in leading MCFASolver to their second leg title this season.
The victory, furthermore, avenged the Pampanga-based guest team’s defeat to Meralco in the Leg 1 Final just before 2023 came to an end.
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Louie Vigil contributed seven points, while Terrence Tumalip and Yutien Andrada rounded out the scoring for the team of coach Anton Altamirano.
San Miguel made it an unlikely finals duel with MCFASolver after ousting Blackwater in the semis, 21-16, as upsets marred the quarterfinals of the knockout stage with losses by perennial contenders Meralco and TNT.
The Beermen were led by Pao Javelona with six points as they took home Php 50,000 for placing runner-up for the second time this season since the opening leg of the First Conference.
San Miguel, though, battled its way back from a five-point deficit and threatened at 18-17 with only seven seconds remaining.
The Beermen even had a chance to send the game into overtime after Vigil missed the second of his two free throws for a two-point MCFASolver lead.
But Javelona missed the potential game-tying deuce as Vigil grabbed the rebound to secure the win for Tech Centrale.
Meanwhile, Tonino Gonzaga fired 10 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field to power Cavitex past Blackwater, 20-19, in the battle for third place.
Runners-up in the Second Conference Grand Finals, the Braves won Php 30,000 as they made up for their 21-19 loss to the Tech Centrale in the semis.
The Scores:
Final
MCFASolver (19) – Ramirez 9, Vigil 7, Tumalip 2, Andrada 1.
San Miguel (17) – Javelona 6, Apacible 4, Sarao 4, Bono 3.
Third-Place Game
Cavitex (20) – Gonzaga 10, Napoles 5, Ighalo 5, Paniamogan 0.
Blackwater (19) – Publico 6, Deles 6, Comboy 4, Bienes 3.
