Limitless edges TNT to capture title in 5th leg of PBA 3×3

THE Limitless Appmasters have captured the title in the fifth leg of the PBA 3×3 Lakas ng Tatlo after they beat the TNT Tropang Giga, 14-13, in the finals on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at the Ynares Sports Arena.

Jorey Napoles and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser came through in the waning minutes of the championship match to push the Appmasters to their first-ever crown in the three-a-side tournament.

Rosser finished with five points, Napoles and Reymar Caduyac four each, while Marvin Hayes had a basket in completing the win worth P100,000.

“All the credit goes to the players. They worked hard. All I did was give them the game plan,” said winning coach Willy Wilson.

Limitless, which is the 3×3 team of the Phoenix franchise, became the fifth different team to win a leg title after TNT, Meralco, Sista Super Sealers and Purefoods.

The Appmasters actually lost their final pool play against the Titans, 19-14, but went on a tear during the knockout stage. They eliminated contender Platinum Karaoke in the quarterfinals, 15-14, and then turned back Meralco in the semis, 20-14, to reach a breakthrough finals stint.

TNT took home the runner-up purse of P50,000 and was foiled in its bid of becoming the first team to win two leg titles in the tournament.

But the maiden champion came close to doing the feat following an inspired showing on the final day of the tournament’s penultimate leg. After a 0-2 start in pool play, the quartet of Almond Vosotros, Chris Javier, Lervin Flores, and Samboy De Leon downed San Miguel, 21-14, to finish third in Pool C and get a crack at the eighth and last quarterfinals berth.

The Tropang Giga then booted out Pool B third placer Barangay Ginebra in their sudden-death, 21-10, to reach the knockout stage, where they thwarted Leg 4 titlist Purefoods, 14-10, and then ousting Terrafirma, 21-17, for a finals showdown with Limitless Appmasters.

Action shifts to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Dec. 20 and 21 for the final leg of the meet, before holding the grand finale on December 29 also at the Big Dome.