Zamboanga City is the best team in Chooks 3×3 ‘Calambubble’

Zamboanga City-Family’s Brand Sardines culminated its dominating streak by beating a tough Nueva Écija squad 22-19 on Friday to emerge as President’s Cup Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3 × 3 champion at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Lagoon.

Joshua Munzon’s long double with 1:11 to play in the title showdown called the “Million Peso Game” allowed Zamboanga City to reign supreme in the two-week competition inside the bubble and take home the jackpot of 1 million dollars.

Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan and Troy Rike withstood a determined position from Nueva Ecija, which reached the game for the TM-backed 3 × 3 professional league title after a 20-19 win over heated rival Butuan City-Uling Roasters.

The team of Jai Reyes, Gab Banal, Tonino Gonzaga and Maclean Sabellina led early and stayed within distance despite opportunities from Zamboanga City to close it out.

Reyes made things interesting with a two-point shot to cut the margin to 20-19 after Pasaol missed two free kicks that could have sealed the deal. Banal had a chance to give Nueva Ecija the title but his two-point attempt failed to connect.

That set the stage for Munzon to show why he’s the country’s top-ranked 3 × 3 player, as he coldly sank Reyes to give Zamboanga City the title.

“It was a tough game. I couldn’t get a few shots to start the game, but towards the end I was lucky to make the winning game, ”said Munzon, whose team is scheduled to represent the Manila Chooks at next month’s FIBA ​​3 × 3 Doha Masters.

Zamboanga City culminated in the “Calambubble” with total earnings of P1,360,000 for winning the preseason and all three of the four stages of the President’s Cup. The only race for the team was a surprising quarter-final start on stage three.

As the seed of the Grand Final, Zamboanga City was fired before defeating Porac-Big Boss Cement 21-11 in the quarter-finals and walking away late to triumph 21-16 over Pasig-Sta. Lucia in the semifinals.

Nueva Ecija settled for runner-up honors and P300,000 despite not failing to win a single stage and losing Juan Gómez de Liano after the conference’s inaugural staging due to an ankle injury.

Third in the Grand Final, the Rice Vanguards quickly ended the dream streak of surprising quarter-finalist Roxas ZN-Petra Cement 21-11, and then sent third-stage champion Butuan City-Uling Roasters out of the final with a layup of Kings in the Last second.

Butuan, who lost Chico Lanete to the Grand Final due to a shoulder injury, had a chance to win before the horn, but Chris de Chávez missed a double.

Tempers flared after the semifinals as Nueva Écija and Butuan clashed loudly backstage before the chill prevailed.