PBA: Yap shakes off slump as Mixers rout Texters for first win

James Yap of San Mig Coffee (light) vs Ryan Reyes of Talk N Text (dark). PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines – San Mig Coffee zoomed to an early lead and never looked back en route to a masterful 118-99 win over Talk ‘N Text for its first victory in the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Mixers, who dropped their first two games of the conference against defending champion Rain or Shine and Air21, let their frustrations out and it showed from the get-go.

“We caught Talk ‘N Text at a really good time. We’re coming off two losses, we can’t take anything for granted,” said San Mig Coffee head coach Tim Cone. “We had everything going tonight.”

The Tropang Texters never recovered after the Mixers got off to a 39-21 start at the end of the first quarter behind their import Marqus Blakely, who set the tone with 16 points and seven rebounds in the opening period alone.

Blakely ended up with 24 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists.

Two-time MVP James Yap, who came into the game averaging just 5.0 points per game on a horrible two-of-24 shooting from the field, finally snapped out of his slump with 21 points – making eight of his 13 attempts.

“We got James (Yap) going early. The guys really looked for him,” added Cone. “He came back and just put his nose in it.”

Talk ‘N Text, which absorbed its first loss in two games, quietly pulled to within 11, 94-105, on a three-pointer by Tony Mitchell with still 3:29 left.

But San Mig Coffee quickly answered back with Yap dousing the Texters run with a triple before Marc Pingris made two free throws to stretch the lead back to 16, 110-94, with 2:41 remaining.

Pingris finished with 23 points and eight rebounds, including six offensive boards in his first game back.

Mitchell led TNT, which is still without its national team players Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag and Larry Fonacier, with 38 points and 12 rebounds.