FOR the first time in the PBA 3x3 , Meralco won’t be in a leg playoff.
Purefoods TJ Titans made that possible after edging the Bolts, 17-15, for the last playoff berth in Pool B in the opening leg of Season 2 Second Conference at Robinsons Place Manila on Saturday.
Joseph Eriobu scored four of his nine points in the stretch run to help the Titans finish pool play with a 1-1 record and join groupmate and no. 1 seed Barangay Ginebra (2-0) in the knockout stage Sunday.
The Bolts are 0-2.
See: McDaniels solid in debut as Meralco survives Bay Area, Nicholson's 50
Purefoods will face Pool D top seed TNT (2-0) in the quarterfinals.
Other playoff matchups feature Ginebra against San Miguel, Platinum versus Terrafirma, and J&T opposite Cavitex.
The Braves banked on the game-winning deuce of Jorey Napoles to turn back Platinum Karaoke in overtime, 19-17, and advance into the next round.
They forged a three-way tie at 1-1 in Pool C along with their victim and Blackwater, but secured the No. 2 seed in the group after finishing with the second highest total points ahead of the Black President. Platinum emerged as the top seed in the group.
Like Barangay Ginebra, J&T Express swept its way in Pool A with a perfect 2-0 card, while emerging as the no. 2 in the group was Terrafirma (1-1).
Entering the next round with TNT in Pool D is San Miguel Beer (1-1).