Llamados seek tie for 2nd title berth
By Musong R. CastilloPhilippine Daily Inquirer
B-MEG superstar James Yap (right) fumbles a pass in front of Talk ‘N Text import Paul Harris in a recent game won by the Texters. August dela Cruz
B-MEG shoots for at least a tie for the second championship berth today when the Llamados, winners of their first two semifinal games in the PBA Governors’ Cup, lock horns with the out-of-it-all Meralco Bolts at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Llamados are the heavy favorites to prevail in the 5:15 p.m. contest with the Bolts, who offered little resistance Wednesday night against sister team Talk ‘N Text.
Talk ‘N Text, meanwhile, shoots for the second of four straight wins it needs to have a shot at a playoff berth when it tangles with Petron Blaze in the 7:30 p.m. mainer.
The Boosters are virtually out of it after they blew a 19-point first-half lead to B-Meg before bowing by 11 Wednesday. Petron stays alive if B-Meg bows to Meralco in the first game.
Should the Llamados win, however, they would effectively end the reign of the Boosters as champions here and narrow down the race for the second championship berth among B-Meg, Barangay Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text.
The Gin Kings were still slugging it out with league-leading Rain or Shine at presstime. A victory will move the Kings to within a win of forging a playoff with the No. 2 semifinalist for the second title berth.
Rain or Shine has two more chances to wrap up the first championship berth in the event that it stumbles against Ginebra. The Painters play the Texters on Monday in the revised schedule of the semifinals released by the league yesterday.
The Painters then battle the Llamados on Wednesday, while Ginebra slugs it out with Talk ‘N Text at the close of the round on Wednesday.
Marcus Blakely has been the main reason why B-Meg is in second with an 8-3 slate, firing up the Llamados two nights ago against the Boosters and finishing with 35 points that went with 11 boards.
James Yap and Marc Pingris have also been playing great for the Llamados, while the Bolts have struggled in the round and have dropped their first three games by lopsided margins.
Talk ‘N Text needs to win its remaining three games in order to stay alive, and would have to win another one after that streak to make the best-of-seven title series via the backdoor.
“There are no two ways about it,” Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes said.
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Tags: B-Meg , Basketball , Meralco Bolts , PBA , PBA governors’ cup
