Talk ‘N Text clinches top spot, sends Ginebra out of top 4 contention
Paul Harris of Talk N Text (dark) vs LA Tenorio of Ginebra (light). PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines — Talk ‘N Text clinched the top seeding following a 96-92 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2014 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Paul Harris fired 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter where he led the Tropang Texters’ comeback from 14 points down.
“I really felt like I was on a roller coaster today because both teams were making a lot of runs, and both teams also kept losing control of the game then we regain control, then we lose control,” said TNT head coach Norman Black after guiding his team to a 7-2 record at the end of the elimination round.
“Paul Harris once again came up big for us in the end. Hit some big shots for us. I love the quarterbacking of Jimmy Alapag in the second half that really helped us a great deal in stabalizing our offense,” Black said.
Harris couldn’t replicate his shooting display two nights ago when he drained nine 3-pointers en route to a 39-point outing but he provided his team’s last five points, including a game-clinching trey near the top of the key with 35.0 seconds left.
“Defensively we really did what we had to do to win the basketball game. It wasn’t a great effort defensively, but it was good enough to win,” Black added.
Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro had 18 points each with the versatile forward also grabbing 10 rebounds for the Texters, who will face the Barako Bull Energy in a best-of-three quarterfinals series starting on Tuesday with TNT owning a twice-to-beat edge.
“That’s going to be an interesting contest because we lost to them the last time out. So it’s going to be important to come in and match their energy,” Black said of his team’s matchup with Barako Bull in the playoffs.
Japeth Aguilar paced the Kings, who failed to secure a top four finish, with 18 points but threw an errant pass during a crucial offensive trip for Ginebra that led to Harris’ dagger of a trey at the other end.
Zaccheus Mason posted 15 points and 19 rebounds but needed 15 attempts to get his production.
The Tropang Texters finished atop the standings for the second straight conference but the team’s feat doesn’t really mean that much to Black.
“It’s good. It means that we’re winning basketball games. I think if we look at our record the last two elimination rounds we probably had done quite well. But of course, that’s not really the goal. The goal is to win the championship and I don’t think anybody is going to be happy from Talk ‘N Text unless we win it.”
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