In a thrilling match on Friday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Top Flight Sports Canada secured a spot in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Division 2 finals by defeating the Arellano Braves, 87-84. Joey Panghulan’s last-second half-court shot sealed the victory for Canada after a closely fought game.
Canada initially had a comfortable lead, going up by as much as 16 points in the third quarter. However, the Braves staged a comeback and managed to tie the game in the final moments. With the score tied at 84, Panghulan made a memorable one-handed heave from beyond the half-court line to secure the win for his team.
Justin Thompson led Canada with 18 points, followed by JC Espinosa with 16 points and Panghulan with 14 points. On the other side, Johnray Ladica led the Braves with 21 points, supported by Jaymark Lloren with 17.
In the second game of the day, Eco Green Makati earned their spot in the finals by defeating PCU Dasmarinas, 95-82. Makati pulled away in the fourth quarter after a close game, with Russel Bayani leading the charge with 27 points.
The finals of the Division 2 play are scheduled for Sunday, where Top Flight Sports Canada and Eco Green Makati will battle for the championship title.
