Tropang Texters, ElastoPainters forge Game 7 deciders

Jimmy Alapag and Jeff Chan led their teams to victories Sunday night for forge winner-take-all game sevens. Photos by Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines — Talk N’ Text and Rain or Shine gutted out contrasting victories over their respective rivals in the PBA Philippine Cup Sunday night to forge the first double Game 7 semifinal deciders in the league this Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Tropang Texters outlasted the Petron Blaze Boosters, 111-108, behind the heroics of Jimmy Alapag, and the Elasto Painters finished strong in taming the Powerade Tigers, 112-98, to set up the two winner-take-all showdowns for the championship slots of the season’s initial tournament.

Alapag summed it up best after putting up a show that reminded everyone that he is the league’s reigning MVP.
“This is still our championship and it’s ours until somebody takes it away,” the pint-sized Alapag said after a brilliant effort of 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds before a jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After falling behind, 1-3, the Texters became just the first team in 13 previous occasions to take the proud Petron/San Miguel franchise to a deciding game after the Boosters had erected a 3-1 lead.
The Elasto Painters drew firepower from their backcourt led by Jeff Chan, who had 26 points, and super rookie Paul Lee, who accounted for 15.
“Our energy level was a lot better today than it was the last time,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. “We played their three scorers well. We made them work for their baskets.”
Marcio Lassiter and Gary David scored 30 apiece for the Tigers, marking the seventh time in Powerade’s last eight games that David breached the mark.
The Painters and the Tigers take first crack at a Finals berth on Wednesday in the 5:15 p.m. game. Talk ‘N Text-Petron will clash later at 7:30 p.m.
“We will fight and fight until we can’t fight anymore,” said Alapag, who scored 19 of his total in the final two periods. “We stuck together and found a way to get to where we are now.”
Only two teams in the 36-year history of the league have ever come back from a 1-3 deficit to prevail. Ginebra San Miguel first pulled off the trick in the 1991 Open Conference behind that famous Rudy Distrito fallaway that beat the Turbochargers.
Purefoods duplicated the feat in the 2006 All-Filipino Conference semifinals against Alaska.
Ranidel de Ocampo fired 23 points and Larry Fonacier had 15, including a triple with 69 seconds left that gave the defending champions a 106-102 lead.
“Of course we are frustrated. But it’s our fault,” Petron coach Ato Agustin said. “I think we lost our focus, especially on defense. If they score 100 points up, we are going to lose the game.”

The scores:
First Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 111—Alapag 29, De Ocampo 23, Fonacier 15, Peek 12, Castro 11, Gamalinda 5, Aguilar 5, Dillinger 5, Carey 4, Williams 2, Alvarez 0.
PETRON BLAZE 108—Santos 20, Cabagnot 18, Lutz 16, Ildefonso 16, Miranda 14, Tugade 10, Yeo 8, Reyes 6.
Quarters: 25-23, 47-44, 79-74, 111-108
Second Game
RAIN OR SHINE 112—Chan 26, Lee 15, Matias 14, Buenafe 11, Norwood 8, Rodriguez 8, Cruz 6, Quinahan 6, Ibanes 6, Tang 5, Belga 5, Arana 2.
POWERADE 98—Lassiter 30, David 30, Kramer 15, Anthony 10, Casio 7, Antonio 5, Lingganay 1, Martinez 0, Vanlandingham 0, Allera 0, Cruz 0, Adducul 0, Crisano 0.
Quarters: 22-30, 54-50, 80-76, 112-98