PHILIPPINE Navy-Go For Gold dealt Uratex its first loss in the Women’s PBA 3×3 Invitational behind a dramatic 18-17 comeback win Monday at the Ayala Malls Market Market.
The Lady Sailors rallied back behind the crucial endgame plays of Afril Bernardino and Marizze Andrea Tongco to pull off the victory in the battle between unbeaten teams.
Tongco buried a pressure-packed deuce and Bernardino scored off a give-and-go play to knot the count at 17-17.
And after the Dream turned the ball over with four seconds left, the 27-year-old Bernardino did a perfect spin move off Kaye Pingol to nail the game-winner at the buzzer.
Tongco finished with seven points and Bernardino had six as they combined for six of the Lady Sailors’ last seven points.
It was a heartbreaker of a loss for Uratex, which controlled the game early on and enjoyed lead of as many as 8-2.
Angelica Anies tallied six points to lead the Dream, who ended the eliminations with a 4-1 record.
Philippine Navy, however, failed to make a fitting follow up to the win as it lost to Gilas-A in overtime later on, 15-13.
National team member Camille Clarin buried two free throws in the extra period to seal the win for Gilas after the Lady Sailors forged overtime behind the heroics of Bernardino, who top scored for eight points.
It was also the first loss in the eliminations for the Lady Sailors as they ended up sharing the top spot with the Dream.
Both Philippine Navy and Uratex are also already assured of the top two spots in the crossover semifinals slated on Feb. 19 at Ayala Malls Glorietta.
Meanwhile, Gilas-A, Gilas-B, and Angelis Resort were all tied for third to fifth places in the standings with similar 2-3 records, with the tiebreaker being applied to determine the last two teams which will make the semifinals.
Angelis Resort suffered a misfortune at the hands of Philippine Air Force, 19-18, that stymied its bid to make the semifinals outright after beating Gilas-B earlier, 20-19.
The win was the first in five outings for the also-ran Air Force, which suffered a 22-12 loss to Gilas-B in the first of the five games played for the day.
