TNT has found the perfect way to pay tribute to ailing comrade Samboy De Leon.
The Triple Giga got their payback game against the Meralco Bolts on Tuesday in the form of a 21-18 win to rule Leg 5 of the PBA 3x3 Third Conference at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
Almond Vosotros scored the last three points to carry his team to victory.
TNT dedicates win to De Leon
After the last basket fell, the players joined together in offering the win, incidentally worth P100,000, to the 31-year-old De Leon, who suffered a torn Achilles last week.
“This is for you brother. Get well soon,” said Chester Saldua.
“Para sa iyo ito, Sam,” added Vosotros.
De Leon, a key player in TNT’s dominant campaign in the PBA’s half-court game, went down with the injury during the Leg 4 finals last week, which the Triple Giga lost against the Bolts, 21-13.
De Leon out for 6 to 9 months
“Bakasyon muna siya ng six to nine months,” said coach Mau Belen, pertaining to the recovery period of De Leon.
Vosotros and Co. took care of business in De Leon’s absence as TNT finally got even against a Meralco side that beat them back-to-back in the finals of the two previous legs.
The 34-year-old Vosotros topscored for the new champions with seven points, Ping Exciminiano and debuting Xyrus Torres, wo replaced De Leon, had five points each, while Saldua added four for the Triple Giga.
Jeff Manday finished with seven points for Meralco, which came a win short of claiming a franchise record of three straight leg championship.
The runner-up finish was worth P50,000 for the Bolts.
The two teams set up their third straight finals encounter by after beating their respective semifinal opponents. The Bolts eliminated guest team MCFASolver Tech Centrale, 17-14, while the Triple Giga beat the Cavitex Braves, 21-16.
The Braves later on, clinched third place and the P30,000 prize money after defeating the Tech Centrale, 21-13.
The scores:
Third place
Cavitex (21) – Galanza 7, Ighalo 6, Gonzaga 6, Doliguez 2.
MCFASolver (13) – Vigil 6, Ramirez 3, Tumalip 2, Andrada 2.
Finals
TNT (21) – Vosotros 7, Exciminiano 5, Torres 5, Saldua 4.
Meralco (18) – Manday 7, Sedurifa 5, Manlangit 3, Cachuela 3.
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