With Personiv staying within striking distance, QBE showed steely resolve en route to the Recreational Division championship of the 2017 BPO Classics.
QBE never led by more than five points in the fourth quarter, but did enough to fend off Personiv, 71-66, in the final at the Phenom Sports Center in Makati.
As Personiv constantly tried to steal the game away, even closing in within one with 2:53 to go, QBE turned to its trusty wards to seal the title in the tournament organized by One Unite Sports & Events, Inc.
Clint Pre, one of QBE’s consistent scorers, carried the fight for most of the game, finishing with a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double off the bench.
But other guys also stepped up in the clutch for QBE, highlighting the team effort that brought them to the final round.
Joel Godoy and Emmanuel Rueda nailed crucial threes in the final two minutes before Pre nailed the dagger with 11 seconds to go.
Godoy, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the conference, connected on a triple that gave QBE a 69-64 lead with a minute to go.
He finished with 10 points, two rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Rolan Macahia was a solid back up in the offense with 13 points that went with five rebounds while Rueda chipped in seven markers.
Personiv, which had its moments in the game even leading by eight in the third, leaned on Ellis Opano and Sean Suborna in its gallant stand.
Opano and Suborna wound up with 20 and 18 points, respectively, for Personiv.
