Terrafirma in high gear

MANILA, Philippines — Terrafirma stole the thunder from the big guns, going 3-0 in Pool A to seal its quarterfinal seat in the PBA 3x3’s third leg yesterday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Dyip quartet Terrence Tumalip, Dhon Reverente, Matt Salem and Jebb Bulawan outduelled Leg 2 winner Meralco, 22-18, to gain momentum for a hot Day 1 run that assured them of a third straight Last-8 appearance with an elims game to spare.

Reverente banged in a clutch two-point play while Bulawan connected from the deep as Terrafirma touched things off with the morale-booster against the Bolts’ Anton Asistio, Alfred Batino, Dexter Maiquez and Joseph Sedurifa.

Tumalip then took charge with seven points as Terrafirma followed up with a 17-14 victory over Pioneer Pro Tibay before Salem rifled in five two-balls to spearhead a 21-11 drubbing of NorthPort.

Terrafirma guns for a four-game sweep of the elims today against the Zamboanga Valientes before vying in the knockout rounds.

Pioneer’s Gian Abrigo, Carlo de Chavez, Carlo Escalambre and Christian Rivera ran second at 2-1, chalking up their wins at the expense of NorthPort, 21-17, and the Valientes, 20-12.

The Bolts quickly bounced back with a 21-8 rout of Zamboanga to improve to 1-1.

Sista Super Sealers and Limitless App got off to victorious starts in Pools B and C, respectively.

Leo de Vera fired 11 points to carry Sista teammates Prince Rivero, Kenneth Mocon and RJ Argamino to a 22-19 triumph over Leg 2 runner-up Platinum Karaoke. After opening with a 21-15 beatdown of Ginebra, Platinum slipped to 1-1. The Gin Kings caught up at 1-1 after rallying past San Miguel Beer, 21-20.

Limitless’ Brandon Rosser, Marvin Hayes, Reymar Caduyac and Jorey Napoles beat Leg 1 winner TNT, 21-16, in a game where the Tropang Giga had only Almond Vosotros and Samboy de Leon playing in the last 8:54 with Jeremiah Gray hurting his knee off a dunk early on.

TNT’s fourth man, Lervin Flores, sat out yesterday’s action due to separate one-game suspensions slapped by the PBA and team management for his hit on Gonzaga in the semis of the second leg.

Before the Limitless match, the Flores-less Tropang Giga took care of business in their opening match against Cavitex, 20-17.