Team Caguioa banked on the hot hands of Gawyn Fernandez to trip Team Slaughter, 15-13, and snare the title in the Camarines Sur leg of the 2017 PBA Ginebra San Miguel 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in Calabanga last Friday.
With the game tied at 13 with 11 seconds left, Fernandez drained the marginal two-pointer from the right corner to seal the victory and tow Team Caguioa to the National Finals.
The 6-foot-3 Fernandez , who topscored with nine points, was joined by Dan Michael Martin, Daniell Martin Uy, and Raphael Jude De Vera in Team Caguioa.
Team Aguilar prevailed in Sariaya, Quezon, the previous week as Kenneth Mercado, Jervin Deduyo, Virgilio VJ Serios, and Junmark Silvarez routed Team Tenorio, 21-10, in the Finals at Computer Systems Technological College Gym.
Team Caguioa and Team Aguilar hiked the National Finalists to 12, with four more regional tiffs set in La Union, Davao, Cebu, and Tacloban in August.
Once the field of 16 “Ganado Sa Buhay” teams are complete, they will all move on to the knockout National Finals on Sept. 1, to be held at SM Megamall Activity Center.
The last two teams standing will move on to the semi-finals and the championship game, to be held on Sept. 3 at halftime of a Manila Classico Game (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs Hot Shots) at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sept. 3.
The 2017 PBA Ginebra San Miguel 3-on-3 National Champion will take home P50,000 in cash prize, a trophy, and Ginebra products.
For updates, check Ginebra San Miguel’s Facebook page @BarangayGinebra or visit the website www.ginebrasanmiguel.com.ph.