PUREFOODS ended a long spell of missed playoffs stints in the PBA 3x3 Season 2 as it beat Meralco 3x3 for the last quarterfinal seat in Pool B, 17-15, in Saturday's Leg 1 elims at Robinsons Place Antipolo.
Joseph Eriobu fired nine, including four in the stretch that led to a 17-13 cushion, as the Titans finished pool play with 1-1 and joined unbeaten Barangay Ginebra (2-0) into Sunday's quarters.
The Titans face Pool D topnotcher TNT (2-0) in their first appearance in the KO stages since placing eighth back in the opening stop of the First Conference.
Purefoods likewise put an end to the streak of Meralco, which had not missed a leg playoff since the league inaugurals before.
The Cavitex Braves also caught the last bus to the quarters after scoring a thrilling 19-17 overtime squeaker over First Conference runner-up Platinum Karaoke in Pool C.
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Jorey Napoles hit the winning two-pointer as the Braves forced a three-way logjam with Platinum and Blackwater at 1-1. After the tiebreak, Platinum emerged No. 1 with 36 points while Cavitex took No. 2 with 31, three ahead of the Red President's 28.
Ginebra, the two-time conference champion TNT and J&T Express cruised to the next round after sweeping their respective pool assignments.
The Gin Kings, banking on the 10 points of new player Donald Gumaru, nipped Purefoods, 21-13, then trounced the Bolts, 21-12, with Ralph Cu dropping eight.
Picking up from their romp in last week's Conference 1 Grand Finals, the Almond Vosotros-led Tropang Giga overpowered NorthPort, 21-11, and San Miguel Beer, 21-17.
The Express defeated Pioneer Elastoseal, 21-20, and Terrafirma, 21-12, to become the top quarterfinalist from Pool A. The Dyip (1-1), with their 18-15 victory over the Katibays (0-2), advanced as A2.
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The Beermen clinched Pool D's second quarterfinal ticket with their 1-1 record, gaining from their 21-5 thrashing of the Batang Pier (0-2) in the early sessions.
Matchups for the Last-8 pit J&T versus Cavitex, TNT versus Purefoods, Ginebra versus San Miguel and Platinum versus Terrafirma. (OL)
