GUEST team MCFASolver leaned on two pressure-packed free throws by Yutien Andrada to escape past Meralco, 21-20, and win a breakthrough title in the PBA 3×3 Second Conference Tuesday at the Ayala Mall Manila Bay.
The veteran big man was fouled by Joseph Sedurifa in the final 33 seconds of the Leg 4 finals, with the Tech Centrale trailing by a point, but the Bolts were already in penalty.
With ice in his veins, the 6-foot-8 Andrada had no problem draining the game-winning foul shots that finally led the team to the top of the podium.
The victory was worth P100,000 for coach Anton Altamirano and the Tech Centrale, who needed to go through the best by defeating three-leg defending champion TNT, 20-18, in the semifinals to make the championship round.
“Para sa akin walang pressure. Game winner, lakasan ng loob,” said Andrada of his game-winning baskets.
Louie Vigil led the Tech Centrale with 12 points and set the tone of the match that saw them take an early 3-0 lead and a 17-12 edge with 2:54 to go.
But behind Joseph Sedurifa, Meralco suddenly came alive behind an 8-2 run to take the upper hand for the very first time, 20-19, in the final 40 seconds.
MCFASolver however, won’t be denied as Andrada stepped on the plate and delivered ironically, his only points for the game.
Big man Brandon Ramirez had six and Terrence Tumalip added a point for MCFASolver, whose other team finished runner-up in the VPrime 3×3 International Cup in Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend.
Sedurifa and Jeff Manday each had eight points for Meralco, which copped the runner-up purse worth P50,000. The Bolts edged Pioneer Elastoseal Katibays in an equally tightly-fought semifinal, 15-14.
The Katibays later claimed P30,000 for finishing third place after beating the Tropang Giga, 21-14.
The scores
Third place
Pioneer (21) – Morido 10, Villamor 6, Mocon 3, Abrigo 2.
TNT (14) – Vosotros 6, De Leon 5, Exciminiano 3.
Finals
MCFASolver (21) – Vigil 12, Ramirez 6, Andrada 2, Tumalip 1.
Meralco (20) – Sedurifa 8, Manday 8, Caduyac 2, Cachuela 2.
(ai/mnm)