JOSHUA MUNZON delivered the goods when it mattered most as Zamboanga City Chooks-Family’s Brand Sardines beat Butuan-Uling Roasters, 21-17, late Wednesday to rule Leg 1 of the Chooks-to-Go President’s Cup at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Munzon scored four of his team’s last seven points in staving off a stubborn Butuan side that even led, 17-14, inside the last three minutes.
But along with Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike and Santi Santillan, Zamboanga City Chooks couldn’t be with the 6-foot-2 Filipino-American Munzon sealing the win with a free throw to wrap up the crown and the P100,000 top prize.
“Again, it showed we can fight through adversity,” said Munzon, who had 12 points in the Finals of the tournament energized by hydration partner Gatorade. “We just stuck to our script.”
Pasaol kept his heavily-favored side afloat and wound up with six points, while Rike had two points and Santillan one point.
Despite the loss, Butuan was P100,000 richer. Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. president and league owner Ronald Mascarinas pledged that amount to whichever team Family’s Brand Sardines faces in the Finals.
Karl Dehesa showed the way for Uling Roasters with six points while Chris De Chavez and Chico Laneta each scored four points.
Franky Johnson only had three points, but overall, their runner-up performance was a big-time bounce back from a preseason that saw them getting eliminated from the quarterfinals.
Both Zamboanga City and Butuan swept their qualifying and playoff games.
Family’s Brand Sardines ended Porac’s resurgence and then extinguished Nueva Ecija’s fire in their match, 21-19, to the championship round while Uling Roasters blasted Bacolod and then bested Zamboanga Peninsula, 21-16.
Rounding out the top three for Leg 1 were the Rice Vanguards who survived Juan Gomez de Liaños’s injury and Mac Sabellina’s ejection to top Pool D in the group stage.
De Chavez also pocketed an extra P10,000 for ruling the TM Two-Point Shootout, knocking down nine of the 10 balls with 18 seconds to spare.
The TM Slam Dunk Contest, on the other hand, saw a newcomer Jesus Manay stunning decorated local dunker David Carlos for P20,000.
The second leg of the FIBA 3×3-endorsed tournament kicks off on Friday in the same venue.