Former PBA first-round pick Jorey Napoles carries Limitless to PBA 3×3 3rd leg title

MANILA, Philippines – Jorey Napoles willed back the Limitless Appmasters against the TNT Tropang Giga, and scored the follow-up basket that won the Leg 3 title of the PBA 3×3 second conference on Sunday, March 13, at the Araneta Coliseum.

The former 2018 No. 12 pick by Phoenix finished with a game-high 14 points, including four in the final run, none more important than the putback off a Brandon Rosser miss for the win, 21-20.

Napoles also scored on a long two, then hit a technical free throw to put the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games-bound team on the hill, 20-19 after trailing 14-9 earlier.

Samboy de Leon then tied the game at 20 with his own basket from the charity stripe, before the Appmasters clinched the victory behind Napoles’ heroics.

It was the third leg title overall for the 3×3 team of the Phoenix franchise, and fourth championship in all counting the grand finals of the first conference last year.

The Appmasters, who will represent the country in Hanoi this May, went home P100,000 richer.

The Appmasters went undefeated in six games on the way to the championship. Rosser added 6 points including a long two that kicked off Limitless’ comeback from five points down.

The Tropang Giga were led by 9 points from Almond Vosotros, and 7 markers from De Leon, but fell short of winning another leg championship after claiming the opening leg of the second conference. They claimed the P50,000 runner-up purse.

On the way to the finals, Limitless App held off Meralco, 16-11, while TNT survived a gritty Terrafirma side in overtime, 21-19, on a game-winner by Vosotros to arrange the title duel between the two teams considered the best in the league’s half-court game.

In the battle for third place, Tonino Gonzaga hit two straight clutch baskets, and Alfred Batino the clinching free throw in the Bolts’ 21-18 win over the Dyip, to claim the P30,000 prize money. – Rappler.com