MANILA, Philippines – Butuan City-Uling Roasters seek to ride the crest of their third-leg title conquest as it shoots for another one in Tuesday’s fourth and final leg of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President’s Cup powered by TM at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Banking on Franky Johnson’s late heroics, Butuan City edged upset-conscious Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, 21-20, Sunday to claim its very first crown and the top purse worth P100,000.
It was the best performance by the Roasters after losing in the finals in the opening leg last Wednesday and the semis on Friday to Legs 1 and 2 champion Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines.
“I kept telling them to never doubt themselves,” said Chico Lanete, Butuan’s unspoken leader referring to younger teammates Johnson, Chris de Chavez and JR Alabanza.
While it was Johnson who hit the title sealing two-pointer, Lanete did most of the heavy lifting by scoring eight points to get them in the position to win it.
The Roasters’ Leg 3 triumph may have sealed them a slot in the top four in Friday’s Grand Finals where the eight lowest rank teams among the 12 participants will play in a knockout format with the winner joining the highest-ranked four teams after the classifications legs.
It was a result that ended Pasig’s fairy tale run.
Regarded as the underdogs, the Realtors clawed back from 10 points down slew the giants — Zamboanga’s Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike and Santi Santillan — and eke out a dramatic 21-18 win in the quarters.
Then Pasig followed it up by pulling the rug from under Palayan City, 21-9, to gatecrash into the finals.
It received P30,000 for its effort.