The final period was pure, unadulterated grind. Every possession was a war of attrition. Kainan returned to their fundamentals, executing their sets with renewed focus, scoring with brutal efficiency. But Flowstate answered every time, not with plays, but with heart.
Teo, battling Sorayama in the post, started using a series of quick fakes and up-and-unders, scoring with a soft touch that belied the physical battle. 60-58, Kainan.
Bornok, giving up height, fought for every rebound like a man possessed, keeping alive a crucial possession that ended with a Riki floater. 60-60.
With three minutes left, the score was tied at 70-70. The air was thick with tension. Kainan brought the ball up, Maki controlling the tempo, looking for the slightest defensive misalignment.
He saw it. A momentary lapse as Drei glanced towards a cutter. Maki fired a bullet pass to Jin in the corner for what should have been an open three.
But Renz, playing the passing lane on a gamble, leaped. His fingertips grazed the ball, altering its course just enough. Drei recovered, scooped the loose ball, and outlet it to a sprinting Riki.
It was a two-on-one fast break. Riki drove, drew the lone defender, and lofted a perfect alley-oop pass towards the rim.
Renz, from the other wing, took flight, catching the ball in mid-air and hammering it home with one hand.
The dunk was thunder. The arena erupted.
72-70, Flowstate.
Their first lead since the opening basket. Kainan called a timeout, their players looking stunned. The beautiful noise had just reached a crescendo. There were two minutes left. Flowstate had the lead, and they had the momentum.