TNT crushed Limitless’ three-peat hopes, 21-19, to lead the semis cast of the PBA 3×3 Second Conference Leg 6, Wednesday at SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Almond Vosotros led the way with eight points as the Tropang Giga exacted vengeance on the same team that beat them in the previous leg’s final.
Lervin Flores scored six, including a deuce for the 15-13 lead with 2:48 left that put his side ahead the rest of the way. The high-leaping big man was also the one who clinched the game with a putback in the dying seconds.
Samboy de Leon added six as well for the MVP Group’s crown jewel, who finally got one against the Appmasters following heartbreaks in the past.
LImitless’ loss not only foiled their bid of becoming the first team in league history to win three legs in a conference, but it could also affect their placing for the Grand Finals — they were the top seed after five legs.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser led the reigning grand champions with nine points. Marvin Hayes and Reymar Caduyac combined for eight, while Jorey Napoles only had two after being TNT’s bane in their previous meetings.
The Tropa is set to face San Miguel in the semis. The Beermen forged the meeting by stunning the top-seeded Meralco, 21-20.
Ken Bono led SMB with eight points, including the game-winning two-pointer with 39.7 seconds left that completed their comeback from a 12-4 deficit.
Not only that, the shot also made San Miguel just the second team in history that came from the knockout to upset the top dog, next to, incidentally, TNT, who did so just in the last leg when it gave Pioneer Pro Tibay the boot.
Dexter Maiquez had 10 points to lead the Bolts, who suffered the very same fate they had in the First Conference’s Grand Finals.
Meanwhile, the other semifinal bracket will see the Pro TIbay take on Purefoods Tender Juicy in a battle of scrappy squads.
The Titans were actually the first team to reach the semis when it nipped Barangay Ginebra through a 21-17 decision. Joseph Eriobu led the assault with 11 points — this, after dropping 16 against CAVITEX earlier.
Pioneer then completed the ensemble when it edged fellow guest team Platinum Karaoke, 21-18, for its first semis trip since the second leg.
Robin Rono finished with eight points, including the game-winning free throws with nine seconds left. Gian Abrigo scored eight points as well, while Carlo Escalambre and Christian Rivera combined for five points.
Ael Banal and JR Alabanza had six points apiece for Platinum, who failed to replicate its Leg 5 showing where it finished third.
The Scores:
Quarterfinals first game
Purefoods TJ 21 – Eriobu 11, Javelona 6, Bonsubre 4.
Ginebra 17 – Serrano 8, Go 3, Villamor 3, David 3.
Quarterfinals second game
TNT 21 – Vosotros 8, De Leon 6, Flores 6, Javier 1.
Limitless 19 – Rosser 9, Hayes 5, Caduyac 3, Napoles 2.
Quarterfinals third game
SMB 21 – Bono 8, Vigil 6, Manday 6, Mangahas 1.
Meralco 20 – Maiquez 10, Gonzaga 4, Sabellina 3, Sedurifa 3.
Quarterfinals fourth game
Pioneer Pro Tibay 21 – Abrigo 8, Roño 8, Escalambre 3, Rivera 2.
Platinum Karaoke 18 – Banal 6, Alabanza 6, Monteclaro 4, Andrada 2.
