GAB Banal was on fire from the get-go as he towed the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards to the top seed of Pool B in Leg 3 of the 2020 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President's Cup presented by TM on Sunday at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba.
The No. 9 ranked 3x3 player in the country shot the lights out for Nueva Ecija, burying six deuces for his conference-high 15 points as he presided over the 21-11 rout of Pagadian-Rocky Sports.
The Rice Vanguards followed it up with a 21-12 pummeling of the Zamboanga Peninsula Valientes MLV to advance to the quarterfinals despite still missing injured star guard Juan Gomez de Liano.
Zamboanga Peninsula still progressed to the next phase after a 21-18 escape against Pagadian.
Two-time leg champion Family's Brand Sardines Zamboanga City also played true to form and swept Pool C.
It was another balanced attack from the top-ranked 3x3 players in the country, with Joshua Munzon firing nine points and Alvin Pasaol adding eight in their 22-11 thumping of Bicol Paxful 3x3 Pro, before they followed up with a 21-18 escape over the Bacolod Master Sardines.
Bacolod booked its seat to the Final Eight with a 21-15 victory over Bicol.
In the other brackets, Uling Roasters-Butuan City reigned atop Pool D after a 22-13 clipping of Palayan City Capitals and a 21-17 over Petra Cement-Roxas ZN.
Palayan also made it through with a 21-12 win over Roxas.
Sarangani Marlins also swept Pool A with masterful performances against Big Boss Cement-Porac MSC, 21-15, and Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, 21-19.
Pasig joined them in the quarterfinals after besting Porac, 22-19.
With the group stages over, the playoffs will see sister teams Nueva Ecija and Palayan face off in the final eight.
The other matchups include Zamboanga City taking on Pasig, Butuan clashing against Zamboanga Peninsula, and Sarangani facing Bacolod.
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