DESPITE a dominant campaign in the six-leg First Conference of the PBA 3x3 Season 2, TNT knows Sunday’s grand finals is an entirely different thing.
For winning three legs in a six-week stretch, the Tropang Giga are well aware all eyes will be on them.
“We intensified our training as we know nag-i-iba yung gear ng lahat towards the grand finals. Wala nang mahina, wala nang malakas,” said coach Mau Belen.
See: Tropang Giga repeat over Express, clinch back-to-back 3x3 titles
The Tropang Giga led by tournament top scorer Almond Vosotros, are seeded No. 1 going to the 10-team grand finale.
Action starts at 2 p.m.
The telecommunication franchise topped the last two legs, twice beating guest team J&T Express in the finals, making it the prohibitive favorite to win the championship and the top prize money of P750,000.
Lervin Flores, Ping Exciminiano, and last-minute replacement Gryann Mendoza in lieu of Samboy De Leon will answer the call for TNT along with Vosotros.
Lurking behind TNT is second seed and Leg 3 winner Meralco (coached by Patrick Fran), no. 3 J&T Express (Ryan Monteclaro), and fourth seed and Leg 2 champion Cavitex (Emman Monfort).
For finishing at the Top 4 of the standings after the six-leg campaign, the Tropang Giga, Bolts, Express, and Braves have all been seeded to the quarterfinals.
The four other berths in the knockout stage meanwhile, will be disputed by No. 5 San Miguel, Platinum Karaoke (6), Pioneer Elastoseal Katibay (7), Blackwater (8), Barangay Ginebra (9), and NorthPort (10).
San Miguel, Blackwater, and Barangay Ginebra are grouped in Pool A, while Platinum Karaoke, Pioneer Elastoseal, and NorthPort are in Pool B.
The six ballclubs play a single round robin, with the top two in each group joining the four seeded teams in the quarterfinals.
The top team in Pool A will meet Cavitex, while Pool B topnotcher faces TNT.
Pool A no. 2 clashes with Meralco, and Pool B second placer battles J&T Express.
“It’s all one game. Unlike yung mga maglalaro pa ng elimination, they have a chance of win-loss (record). Kami, when we play our first game, it’s just a knockout,” said Belen of the seeded teams’ predicament. “Sa sobrang tagal ng pinag-handaan mo, seven weeks, one game and then you’re out.”
Runner-up team will be receiving P250,000, while the third placer gets P100,000.
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