Carney rebounds as Talk ‘N Text trips San Miguel Beer
Rodney Carney of Talk N Text (dark) vs June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel (light). NUKI SABIO/PBA
MANILA, Philippines – Rodney Carney bounced back from a lackluster debut to lead Talk ‘N Text to a 103-97 win over San Miguel Beer in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Carney, who only scored 13 points on 17 shots in his first game as a Tropang Texter in a narrow win over Rain or Shine last Wednesday, knocked in 28 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
“This is a good win for us to stay within the top four. Right now that’s really the goal to get that twice-to-beat advantage again at the end of the elimination round,” said TNT head coach Norman Black.
“We got what we wanted from our import. We needed more production from him this game. Last game he was a little bit tired but today he did a much better offensively particularly and he did a good job defensively too,” Black said of the former NBA player Carney.
Guards Jayson Castro and Jimmy Alapag also came through for the Tropang Texters, who grabbed a share of second place with the Air21 Express and the San Mig Coffee Mixers at 3-1, with most of their points coming in the second half.
Castro and Alapag combined for 20 of their team’s 27 points in the fourth quarter along with Alapag scoring 12.
“The locals stepped up and supported him (Carney). Jimmy Alapag made big shots for us down the stretch that really helped us get us some separation and made a nig difference in the game.
And of course Jayson Castro played very very well,” Black said.
Alapag tallied all of his fourth-quarter points in a critical four-minute span — making three triples — that broke an 85-deadlock with his final 3-pointer putting the Texters ahead, 99-92, at the 2:19 mark.
Reggie Williams kept the Beermen, who slid to 3-2, in the game amid Alapag’s backbreaking baskets in the game, 97-99, after his two free throws with 22.1 seconds left.
Ranidel de Ocampo cooly sank a pair of freebies that widened TNT’s gap to four, 101-97, before Williams’ drive attempt got sent back by Noy Baclao with under 15 seconds to go.
“We just have to continue to play good defense and to try to beat the teams that are at the top,” said Black, whose squad faces the Express next.
Williams had a game-high 33 points that went with seven rebounds and 10 assists while sophomore giant June Mar Fajardo registered 20 points and 14 rebounds.
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