BUTUAN City-Uling Roasters persevered past Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, 21-20 (9:42.6), to break the domination of the favored teams by ruling Leg 3 of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 President’s Cup powered by TM on Sunday at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Franky Johnson got his shooting tough back in the most critical moment with his longball against the long-limbed Jeckster Apinan to put Butuan City up front from 19-20 with 27 ticks to go.
With all the confidence, he danced behind the arc and drilled a two-pointer that made Uling Roasters as only the second team to win a leg in the Philippines’ pioneering 3×3 professional league energized by hydration partner Gatorade.
The shifty shooter wound up with six points, but wouldn’t have delivered the goods if not for Chico Lanete, who turned back the clock and tallied eight points.
And it was the veteran Lanete who kept Butuan City’s head in the game after a disappointing preseason, a runner-up finish in Leg 1, a semifinals exit in Leg 2 and then a challenging Leg 3.
“I told my teammates to believe in themselves, because the opportunities are right before us,” Lanete said.
Butuan banked the P100,000 cash prize for winning the leg.
Chris De Chavez contributed four points while JR Alabanza chipped in three points for the leg winners.
Uling Roasters remained unscathed in the group stages before breezing through Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes, 21-14 (7:53), in the quarterfinals and n Bacolod-Master Sardines, 21-18, (6:43), in the semifinals.
Pasig settled for the runner-up’s purse of P30,000 prize. But its shock victory over two-leg winner Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines stand out in the league.
History was made in the TM side events as Petra Cement-Roxas ZN’s Janus Lozada hit on all of his 10 shots to rule the Two-Point Shootout.
“Air” David Carlos, on the other hand, retained his Slam Dunk Contest crown.
Leg 4 is set on Tuesday.
