Meralco conquered familiar foes Limitless App by way of a 22-18 decision to emerge as the early leader of the PBA 3×3 Second Conference’s sixth leg, Tuesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Tonino Gonzaga bannered the Bolts’ balanced attack with eight points, including the game-winning shot from the outside with 41 seconds left as they once again owned the very same team they beat to rule Leg 4 last April 3.
Dexter Maiquez provided seven points, while Maclean Sabellina and Joseph Sedurifa combined for seven in the triumph that put them atop Pool A with a clean 3-0 record, enough to book a spot in the quarterfinals.
Gunning for their third leg title overall, the MVP ball club can sweep the group stage versus the second-running Ginebra (2-1) tomorrow at 9:50 a.m.
Jorey Napoles led the Appmasters with 11 points in the loss, their second in a row after starting Day 1 with a 22-15 win over NorthPort (1-3).
The three-peat seekers fell down to the third seed with a 1-2 record as a result, leaving them in a must-win versus Sista (1-2) tomorrow at 11:05 a.m.
Meanwhile, both TNT and Pioneer are sharing leadership in Pool B as both contenders ended the day with identical 2-0 records.
The Tropang Giga opened their campaign with a 21-16 win over Terrafirma behind a well-deployed attack, then followed it up with a 21-18 victory over rivals San Miguel thanks to the 10-point performance of Almond Vosotros.
The Pro Tibay got their wins against those same teams, first with a 17-16 squeaker versus the Beermen before a 16-12 triumph over the Dyip. Robin Rono and Carlo Escalambre took turns leading the squad in the victories.
TNT and Pioneer will fight for the group’s top seed tomorrow at 9:25 a.m., a rematch of the Leg 5 quarters that saw the Tropa emerge victorious and eventually become the first finalist from the knockout.
Lastly, Purefoods Tender Juicy seized the lead in Pool C by beating Platinum Karaoke, 21-18, in the final match of the day.
Jed Mendoza led the way with 10 points, while Joseph Eriobu finished with eight as the Titans ended the opening hostilities with a 2-0 record.
Platinum was led by the nine points of Ael Banal in the defeat, which created a tie with CAVITEX in the standings as both sport 1-1 cards.
Still aiming for its first leg title since the First Conference, Purefoods can lock the no. 1 seed against the Braves in the Day 2 opener at 9:00 AM.
The Scores:
First game
Limitless 22 – Caduyac 7, Rosser 6, Napoles 5, Hayes 4.
NorthPort 15 – Webb 5, Revilla 5, Calisaan 4, Olayon 1.
Second game
Ginebra 21 – Serrano 7, Go 6, David 4, Villamor 4.
Sista 11 – Manlangit 4, Jamon 4, Mocon 3, De Vera 0.
Third game
Pioneer Pro Tibay 17 – Roño 7, Rivera 7, Abrigo 2, Escalambre 1.
SMB 16 – Bono 7, Manday 6, Vigil 3, Mangahas 0.
Fourth game
CAVITEX 21 – Rivero 8, Reyes 7, Fajardo 4, Fonacier 2.
Master Sardines 16 – Hernandez 6, Mabayo 4, Mahari 4, Comia 2.
Fifth game
Meralco 21 – Maiquez 8, Gonzaga 6, Sedurifa 5, Sabellina 2.
Sista 11 – Manlangit 7, De Vera 2, Jamon 2, Mocon 0.
Sixth game
NorthPort 21 – Webb 8, Revilla 7, Calisaan 3, Olayon 3.
Ginebra 16 – Serrano 7, Go 6, David 2, Villamor 1.
Seventh game
TNT 21 – De Leon 7, Flores 7, Vosotros 4, Javier 3.
Terrafirma 16 – Reverente 6, Taladua 4, Tumalip 3, Bulawan 3.
Eighth game
Purefoods TJ 21 – Eriobu 8, Bonsubre 5, Javelona 5, Mendoza 3.
Master Sardines 9 – Mabayo 4, Mahari 3, Hernandez 2, Comia 0.
Ninth game
Ginebra 21 – Serrano 10, Go 5, David 5, Villamor 1.
Limitless 17 – Rosser 7, Caduyac 5, Napoles 3, Hayes 2.
Tenth game
Meralco 21 – Gonzaga 9, Sedurifa 6, Maiquez 5, Sabellina 1.
NorthPort 13 – Webb 8, Olayon 2, Calisaan 2, Revilla 1.
Eleventh game
TNT 21 – Vosotros 10, De Leon 5, Flores 4, Javier 2.
SMB 18 – Bono 7, Vigil 5, Manday 5, Mangahas 1.
Twelfth game
Platinum Karaoke 21 – Banal 10, Alabanza 5, Monteclaro 4, Andrada 2.
CAVITEX 16 – Fajardo 6, Reyes 5, Rivero 4, Fonacier 1.
Thirteenth game
Meralco 22 – Gonzaga 8, Maiquez 7, Sabellina 4, Sedurifa 3.
Limitless 18 – Napoles 11, Rosser 4, Hayes 2, Caduyac 1.
Fourteenth game
Pioneer Pro Tibay 16 – Escalambre 8, Abrigo 4, Roño 2, Rivera 2.
Terrafirma 12 – Taladua 4, Tumalip 3, Reverente 3, Bulawan 2.
Fifteenth game
Sista 16 – Jamon 6, De Vera 4, Mocon 3, Manlangit 3.
NorthPort 13 – Webb 4, Olayon 4, Revilla 4, Calisaan 1.
Sixteenth game
Purefoods TJ 21 – Mendoza 10, Eriobu 8, Bonsubre 3, Javelona 0.
Platinum Karaoke 17 – Banal 9, Monteclaro 3, Alabanza 3, Andrada 2.
