MANILA—After showing that they, too, are not afraid to play hard and rough, the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters hope to ride the momentum of a physical victory over Petron Blaze two nights ago in Friday night’s Game 3 and wrest control of the PBA Governors’ Cup title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fresh from a 103-85 thumping of the Boosters, odds favor the Texters in their 7:30 p.m. clash as they try to move within two victories of finally nailing a coveted Grand Slam.
The Game 2 victory wasn’t pretty by any means with hard fouls, technical fouls, and ejections marking the out-of-town outing in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
But with the stakes high, Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes said his boys have to play tough if they want to complete their date with basketball destiny.
“We’re not going to win this series if we play like sissies,” Reyes said after the Game 2 rout. “We manned up in the second half and we became stronger and took it right to them because this is a war and the only way we are going to win is if we are just as physical.
“If they (Boosters) are going to throw cheap shots, we’re going to give them right back.”
Petron played with total command in the first two periods Wednesday but lost steam in the third period, allowing the Texters to score 12 unanswered points to start the fourth.
The Boosters are playing with just 11 healthy men, and they were slowed down in the second half ]after the team’s main cogs got hobbled by foul trouble.
Petron coach Ato Agustin should keep his squad fresh and foul-free heading into the final two quarters of tonight’s game if they hope to keep the score close.
After shooting 23 of the Boosters’ first 46 points, Arwind Santos scored just six the rest of the way after playing hard on both ends.
The Boosters prevailed in Game 1, 88-87.
Meanwhile, Santos looms as the prohibitive pick to win the Player of the Conference award and Jason Forte of Alaska the Best Import crown during the awarding ceremonies before tip-off Friday.