MANILA — In a decisive victory at Ayala Malls Glorietta on Monday, Blackwater seized the opportunity created by TNT’s manpower issues, clinching the leading position in Pool A as they head into the quarterfinals of Leg 1 PBA 3×3 Season 3 Third Conference.

The Smooth Razor dominated Terrafirma with a score of 20-13, and fueled by Wendell Comboy’s impressive 17-point performance, they went on to rout the depleted Triple Giga with a final score of 22-7.

Despite the absence of Almond Vosotros and Ping Exciminiano due to illness, Gryann Mendoza, Matt Salem, and Chester Saldua showcased resilience for TNT, securing the second spot in Pool A with a 1-1 record. They advanced by capitalizing on their morning victory against Dyip (21-19) to claim the second and final ticket to Tuesday’s knockout rounds.

In other pools, Cavitex secured the third seed with a perfect 3-0 sweep in Pool C, while MCFASolver went 2-of-2 in Pool B, leading the quarterfinalists from their respective brackets.

Pool C’s top-seeded Braves swept aside San Miguel Beer (21-11), Barangay Ginebra (21-13), and Pioneer Elastoseal (21-17), claiming the top spot. Meanwhile, Gin Kings (1-1) and Katibays (1-1) also progressed, setting the stage for a duel to dispute the No. 2 spot at the end of pool play on Tuesday.

In Pool B, unbeaten MCFASolver (2-0), Meralco (2-1), and Purefoods (1-1) secured the three-quarters spots, while NorthPort (0-3) faced elimination.

As Tech Centrale and the Titans conclude pool play on Tuesday, anticipation rises for the competition to heat up later in the day as teams vie for Leg 1 honors and the coveted P100,000 winner’s prize.

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TNT is poised to conclude a stellar campaign by vying for the grand championship in the upcoming PBA 3×3 Second Conference on Monday at Ayala Malls Glorietta.

The Triple Giga nearly achieved a flawless run throughout the six-leg, mid-season, half-court tournament, securing victories in all legs except Leg 4, where the guest team MCFASolver emerged victorious.

The telecommunication franchise’s impressive performance has secured them the coveted no. 1 seed and established them as the overwhelming favorites for the 10-team grand finals, where the triumphant team will claim the P750,000 prize.

Almond Vosotros and his teammates are riding a wave of success into the grand finale, having clinched victory in the last five conferences, including a rare grand slam in Season 2.

Champion coach Mau Belen is once again relying on the 33-year-old Vosotros to lead TNT’s charge, supported by Gryann Mendoza, Ping Exciminiano, and Chester Saldua.

Joining TNT in the knockout stage are the second-seeded Meralco, third-seeded Cavitex, and fourth-seeded Pioneer Elastoseal, securing their spots by finishing in the Top 4 at the conclusion of the six-leg competition.

The remaining five teams that qualified for the grand finals—MCFASolver (5th), Blackwater Smooth Razor (6th), Terrafirma (7th), Purefoods (8th), San Miguel (9th), and Barangay Ginebra (10th)—will engage in a one-round pool stage to determine the four additional quarterfinalists.

The Tech Centrale leads Pool A together with the Titans and Beermen, while Pool B is composed of the Smooth Razor, Dyip, and Kings.

MCFASolver takes on San Miguel to kick off the six-game pool play starting at 2 p.m.

The top team to emerge in Pool A will face Pioneer Elastoseal in the knockout phase, while the no. 2 seed in the same group goes up against Meralco.

TNT awaits the no. 2 team which will emerge in Pool B, while the group’s no. 1 seed will have Cavitex for its opponent.

The runner-up in the grand finals receives P250,000, while the third placer will bag P100,000.

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TNT lost no time reclaiming lost glory a week ago.

With vengeance in their eyes, the Tropang Giga ruled Leg 5 of the PBA 3×3 Second Conference on Tuesday as they scored an emphatic 21-13 win over Pioneer Elastoseal at the Ayala Mall Fairview Terraces.

Almond Vosotros and Co. needed less than 10 minutes to finish off the Katibays and the championship match in bagging the P100,000 prize money.

TNT went on a 9-3 run to turn around a tight game into a 14-7 lead and never looked back.

Vosotros nailed a deuce at the 1:43 mark to clinch TNT’s fourth title in five legs of the conference.

Chester Saldua, Samboy De Leon, and Vosotros finished with six points each, while Ping Exciminiano added three in a balanced-scoring for the Tropang Giga of coach Mau Belen.

Earlier, TNT had its payback against Leg 4 ruler MCFASolver by eliminating the guest team in the semifinals, 21-18.

Pioneer Elastoseal, which claimed the runner-up purse of P50,000, meanwhile made it to the finals behind an 18-16 win over Northport in an unlikely semifinals match up.

MCFASolver later copped third place by beating Northport, 21-15.

The Tech Centrale won P30,000.

The scores

Third place

MCFASolver (21) – Ramirez 11, Vigil 6, Tumalip 4, Andrada 0.

Northport (15) – Capacio 8, Alabanza 4, Sobrevega 2, Zamora 1.

Finals

TNT (21) – Vosotros 6, Saldua 6, De Leon 6, Exciminiano 3.

Pioneer Elastoseal (13) – Baltazar 4, Morido 4, Villamor 3, Mocon 2.

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Team Blackwater (ESPN photo courtesy)

Blackwater and TNT are eager to conclude the PBA On Tour with a victory as they face off on the final day of the exhibition series at the Ynares Center in Pasig.

In the 5 p.m. match, Blackwater, under the guidance of new coach Jeff Cariaso, aims to secure a win against the Bolts. A victory would allow them to finish tied with the Bolts at 7-4, but Blackwater would claim the third spot overall due to their previous triumph over the Bolts with a score of 89-82 on July 14.

Cariaso, who recently completed his pre-scheduled coaching clinics, will be calling the shots for Blackwater for just the second time since joining the team.

Despite their recent 131-108 loss to Rain or Shine, Blackwater is determined to go all out for a win against a depleted TNT side. The Tropang Giga have struggled, only managing one win in 10 games as they chose to rest veterans Jayson Castro, Mikey Williams, and Kelly Williams, while Poy Erram, Roger Pogoyo, and Calvin Oftana were loaned to Gilas.

In the main game at 7:30 p.m., Barangay Ginebra and NLEX will clash, both aiming to secure a win and secure a top 6 finish in the PBA On Tour.

Barangay Ginebra has performed remarkably well in the exhibition series, despite the absence of head coach Tim Cone, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, Stanley Pringle, and Christian Standhardinger during the preseason campaign.

These players were away with Gilas, training for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in August, while Pringle and Standhardinger took a much-needed break after a grueling 2022-23 PBA season.

Heading into the match, both squads hold an even 5-5 record, making the game highly competitive and crucial for their final standings.

(AI/MNM)