ALMOND Vosotros won a protracted shootout with Tonino Gonzaga as TNT slipped past Meralco, 21-19, to claim the opening leg championship of the PBA 3x3 Conference 2.
Vosotros, scoring champ of the first conference, nailed the Tropang Giga’s last four points, including the game-clinching 2 to lead the team on top anew in a rematch of Conference 1 first leg finale.
The Tropang Giga also defeated the Bolts in their previous title leg showdown, 21-18.
Vosotros finished with 10 points to show the way for TNT, which bagged the P100,000 top purse.
"He’s been missing shots, but I told him to keep on shooting kasi yun ang laro niya. And the right moment will come, papasok din yan,” said TNT coach Mau Belen of Vosotros, who struggled with his shooting early on during the title game.
“And what more a right moment can come than the last two points for the championship.”
Gonzaga had a game-high 11 points and willed back the Bolts, who lost an early 8-3 lead and trailed, 15-16, when Vosotros began to find his range for TNT.
The guard out of Ateneo tied the game at 17 and began his shootout with Vosotros.
The veteran TNT playmaker also hit a 2 to regain back the lead for the Tropang Giga, only for Gonzaga to answer back and tied the game at 19.
Vosotros had the last laugh then when he drained the game winner seconds later.
Rookie big man Mark Acuno and Samboy De Leon added four each for TNT, which also got three from Lervin Flores.
Josef Sedurifa had six and Alfred Batino two in completing the scoring for the Bolts, who took home P50,000.
Earlier, Barangay Ginebra turned back Limitless App, 21-17, to take third place in what is so far the team’s highest finish in the three-a-side tournament.

Newcomer Encho Serrano led the Kings with eight points, including the game-clinching free throw.
The scores
Barangay Ginebra (21) – Serrano 8, Villamor 6, Go 5, David 2.
Limitless (17) – Napoles 8, Rosser 6, Hayes 2, Caduyac 1.
TNT (21) – Vosotros 10, Acuno 4, De Leon 4, Flores 3.
Meralco (19) – Gonzaga 11, Sedurifa 6, Batino 2, Maiquez 0.
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