INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?San Miguel Beer made Talk ?N Text choke on too much meat Wednesday night, taking control early in the match and then weathering a late run by the Tropang Texters for a 100-90 victory in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The Beermen made two big offensive plays off huge stops on the other end to win their second straight match after starting out 0-2 while handing the Texters and coach Chot Reyes?who referred to this match as the ?meat? of his team?s coming schedule, their first loss in four outings.

San Miguel forced an air ball from Yancy de Ocampo and got a twinner from Arwind Santos in the ensuing play for a 93-85 cushion, after the Texters had whittled a 25-point spread to just six. Ahead by seven in the final minute, the Beermen forced another miss and then drew a huge triple from Mick Pennisi to peg the final count.

?We had a disappointing start because there?s pressure on us to go far,? Pennisi said after the match. ?But as long as we don?t force shots, we should be fine.?

The battle between the two most loaded rosters in the league almost turned out to be a dud, with the Beermen erecting a 45-20 spread in the second period. Reyes had earlier said the match would test the Texters? preparedness to defend their title.

?The meat of our schedule is coming up: San Miguel is next and that is where the test of our defense will be,? Reyes said before the game.

Using a hot start and a smart finish, Barako Bull downed Rain or Shine, 89-81, in the first game.

Alex Crisano keyed a hot second quarter by nailing two unexpected treys at the height of a breakaway that boosted Red Bull to a 64-43 halftime lead before the team bucked his loss in the fourth period to rise to 2-2.

The tattooed, 6-foot-7 center hit all his 14 points in the first half while rookie Chad Alonzo finished with career bests of 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead Barako Bull to its second upset win.

Alonzo, an undersized power forward out of Adamson University, also had five assists that kept the Boosters together in the stretch after the Painters came within 89-79.

It was the fourth straight loss for Rain or Shine, which started the season hoping for a better finish after adding former UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz from the amateur draft.

Leo Najorda also finished in twin digits for Barako Bull which erected a 25-point lead in the latter part of the second quarter.

?We had a great first two quarters,? said Red Bull coach Leo Isaac later. ?And if you are going to the locker room (at the half) with a 21-point lead, you know that you have an insurance already. It turned out, we just had too big a lead (for Rain or Shine to overcome).?

Barako Bull trailed by eight in the first period before pouring it on in the second.

The team actually went 7-of-13 from the three-point area in the first two periods, with the last of the Crisano triples giving the Boosters a 60-39 lead with still 2:42 to play.

And Barako Bull, supposedly the lowliest team in the tournament, wasn?t done, as another rookie, Regomar Menor, added four points in a 26-second span for a 64-39 lead.

When Crisano fouled out with 2:36 left, the Boosters relied on Najorda and Alonzo for the rebounds and a battery of unheralded guards to quell a last-ditch Rain or Shine rally.

Magnum Membrere hit a triple and Donbel Belano drove the lane for a floater that made it 89-75 for the Boosters with barely two minutes left.

Gabe Norwood finished with 17 points to pace the Elasto Painters while fellow sophomore Solomon Mercado chipped in 14.

The scores:

First Game

BARAKO BULL 89?Alonzo 15, Najorda 14, Crisano 14, Menor 9, Membrere 9, Aljamal 7, Dimaunahan 6, Belano 6, Duncil 4, Lao 3, Hubalde 2.

RAIN OR SHINE 81?Norwood 17, Mercado 14, Arellano 9, Cruz 6, Chan 6, Laure 6, Tang 5, wTelan 5, Reyes 4, Arana 3, Ibanes 3, Hrabak 3.

Quarters: 26-30, 64-43, 75-60, 89-81

Second Game

SAN MIGUEL 100?Santos 17, Hontiveros 17, Pennisi 15, Seigle 11, Custodio 9, Cortez 9, Villanueva 7, Pena 6, Tugade 5, Miranda 2, Racela 2, Eman 0.

TALK ?N TEXT 90?Alapag 22, Castro 20, Cardona 16, Peek 13, De Ocampo Y. 8, De Ocampo R. 4, Carey 4, Belasco 2, Dillinger 1, Ritualo 0.

Quarters: 26-14, 55-38, 77-61, 100-90