Pioneer Pro Tibay lived up to its billing as a tough, durable team.
Working behind its small ball rotation, the Pro Tibay defied the odds and emerged the biggest winner in the PBA 3×3 Second Conference grand finals that came to a close Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The Pro Tibay overpowered Sista Super Sealers in the finals, 12-10, capping a long, arduous journey to the championship that saw the franchise become the second grand winner of the standalone tournament.
The quartet of Gian Abrigo, Robin Rono, Christian Rivera, and Carlo Escalambre got their acts together at the right place, at the right time, and buoyed by a boisterous Pioneer Pro Tibay crowd that included owner and chairman John Spakowski II, swept their way from the pool play to the top.
The victory was worth P750,000 for Pioneer, which became the first guest team to win the grand finals, and just the second grand winner after Limitless App.
Pioneer is also the first grand champion that was without a single leg title since the inception of the half-court game last November.
“Hindi biro ‘yung pinag-daanan namin,” admitted Pioneer coach Lester Del Rosario.
The Pro Tibay qualified in the knockout stage only as the no. 2 team in Pool A behind Sista.
But their confidence was obviously buoyed when they stunned the top seed Appmasters in overtime during the quarterfinals, 16-14, behind Abrigo’s game-winner.
“Sabi ko lusutan lang natin yung Limitless, then tingnan natin kung saan tayo dadalhin,” added Del Rosario.
Pioneer faced Barangay Ginebra in the semis, and leaned on Rono’s game-clinching basket, 16-14, in another overtime thriller to set up the title showdown with Sista.
The Super Sealers bagged the runner-up purse of P250,000 as Jan Jamon, Kenneth Mocon, Joseph Manlangit, and Jamil Gabawan overcame and rallied past second seed TNT Tropang Giga in the semis, 13-12, to progress in the championship round.
Incidentally, Sista beat Pioneer for the Leg 3 title during the First Conference last year.
In the battle for third, Barangay Ginebra got 11 points from Jollo Go to beat TNT for the P100,000 prize money.
As if any consolation, the Tropang Giga’s Almond Vosotros was named Scoring Champion for the second straight time and bagged P30,000 for the feat.
