Anton Asistio leads 1Bataan. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines— Solidifying the newest rivalry in street ball, Pasig Grindhouse Kings and 1Bataan Risers faced off in the Chooks to Go Pilipinas 3×3 finals for the third time this season.
But the Risers pulled ahead in the race to the top of the standings, escaping the Kings, 21-19, in an intense final battle Friday in the third of the five legs of the 3×3 tournament at SM Fairview Events Center.
The victory shored up the output of 1Bataan, led by Anton Asistio, Santi Santillan, Alvin Pasaol and Chito Jaime, to 280, 20 ahead of the Pasig Grindhouse, which won the last leg.
The two sides were neck-and-neck until the final seconds but with Pasig Grindhouse missing all of their attempts from downtown for a walk-off win, the Risers pounced on the chance as Santillan nailed the game-winning freebie.
“We always expect that facing them will be tough because they’re bigger than us, “ said 5-foot-8 guard Asistio of the Kings composed of Dylan Ababou, Taylor Statham, Troy Rike, and Joshua Munzon.
Pasig Grindhouse trailed by 10-15 then 14-18 but always found a way to storm back into the match, which is being played at half court with only 10 minutes on the clock.
Taylor Statham, who struggled all game, tied the game at 18 but 1Bataan, which played without Sean Manganti, was quick to regain the advantage with Pasaol splitting his free throws to get back the lead.
“We had to adjust there for a while because we’ve been playing with Sean since the pre-season but it was easy to play with Kuya Chito,” Assitio said about his veteran teammate Chito Jaime.
The Risers, who lost for the first time in group stage no thanks to a Gerald Anderson-led effort from Marikina earlier in the day, won another P100,000 for the third leg crown.
“We need to bounce back in the next leg, no excuses,” said Pasol.
The President’s Cup returns to the SM Megamall Events Center on Saturday.