Alvin Patrimonio muffed a gift shot, failing to complete a three-point play and preventing the Hotdogs from taking a crucial one-point lead in the final 30 seconds.
In the third period, the Hotdogs with Jack Tanuan playing quality minutes and relieving Jerry Codinera, took a commanding 21-point lead several times with the last at 97–76, Gerry Esplana and Allan Caidic rallied the Tivolis back in the game and were only down by 12 going into the fourth quarter.
Experience once again took over for Presto in the decisive last six minutes as coach Jimmy Mariano fielded in Willie Generalao, who quarterbacked the Tivolis' stirring offensive as they outscored the Hotdogs, 14–6.
[1] The final game of the series, the odds were stacked in favor of Purefoods to win the All-Filipino title as Presto Tivolis were faced with a tough task of playing without its number one gunner, Allan Caidic.
From a 19–19 standoff, Arnie Tuadles and Onchie dela Cruz combined in a searing breakaway to give Presto a 42–27 lead en route to a 43–35 halftime advantage.
Successive triples by Naning Valenciano and Glenn Capacio cut the Tivolis' lead to four early in the third quarter, 45–49, but Abe King, Arnie Tuadles and Willie Generalao sparked another scoring salvo that made it a 16-point bulge, 67–51, with 2:56 left in the third.