GAMES FRIDAY (Cuneta Astrodome)
5 p.m.—Red Bull vs. Rain or Shine 7:30 p.m.—San Miguel vs. Purefoods
MANILA, Philippines-TALK ’N TEXT needed a 20-0 blitz in the fourth period to pull off a come-from-behind 112-101 victory over short-handed Air21 Thursday and gain the early lead in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the new Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City.
Jimmy Alapag, Jared Dillinger, Mac Cardona and Harvey Carey did most of the damage for the Texters, who came back from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to register their first 2-0 start under coach Chot Reyes.
Alapag and Dillinger finished with 23 points apiece as the Texters survived a sputtering start that saw them shoot just 31 percent and commit 18 turnovers in the first half, which allowed the Express to take command early on.
The Express, even without Homer Se and Arwind Santos, who were suspended for rough play in the loss against Rain or Shine, came out smoking with Wynne Arboleda nailing four triples for a 38-23 lead early in the second period.
Express forwards Doug Kramer and JC Intal also missed the encounter because of Kramer’s wedding, leaving Air 21 with just nine players for the game.
But the Texters exploited their deeper arsenal as Carey came off the bench to pour 16 markers, including 14 in the second half, and haul 20 rebounds.
“We won this game because they missed their key players,” Reyes said. “We kept within striking distance and eventually the depth our bench was crucial.”
With Talk ’N Text misfiring, the Express looked comfortably ahead when Gary David hit a short jumper from the corner to extend the lead, 95-82, with 9:54 left.
But the Express were shut down in the next five minutes while Alapag, Carey and Cardona combined for 17 of the next 20 points to turn the game around. Cardona’s triple capped the run and lifted the Texters, 106-97, with 4:29 left.
Dillinger’s drive and another basket from Carey off a steal from JR Quinahan virtually sealed the win, 110-101.
Dillinger, who came up with 15 points in the win against Coca Cola Sunday, also had six rebounds in 35 minutes.
“That’s what we expected from Dillinger and that’s the reason why we picked him in the draft,” Reyes said of the No. 2 pick from the University of Hawaii.
Reyes also paid tribute to Carey.
“He’s our MVP for this game,” Reyes said of the undersized power forward. “Harvey Carey did almost everything. He kept his teammates in the game.”
Meanwhile, Rain or Shine tries to sustain its fiery start as it battles Red Bull, one of only two teams it has yet to beat since joining the league two years ago, in the first game of a double header today at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The Elastopainters came up with a resounding season debut as rookie sensation Solomon Mercado engineered a 120-102 triumph over Air 21 last Sunday.
But they will have their hands full against the Barakos, who are fresh off a 73-77 defeat at the hands of Purefoods last Wednesday.
In the 7:20 p.m. main game, Purefoods will also shoot for its second victory against San Miguel, which squandered a 19-point lead in the 85-84 loss to Alaska Sunday.
The scores:
TALK ‘N TEXT 112—Dillinger 23, Alapag 23, Cardona 22, Carey 16, De Ocampo 11, Castro 9, Allado 4, Reyes 2, Ritualo 2, Escobal 0, Aljamal 0, Lao 0.
AIR 21 101—David 23, Quinahan 15, Arboleda 15, De Ocampo 14, Billiones 13, Canaleta 11, Cruz 6, Sta. Maria 4, Villanueva 0.
Quarters: 16-21, 40-53, 80-89, 112-101
