Talk N’ Text point guard Jayson Castro drives past Meralco’s Danny Ildefonso and Jared Dillinger. Photo from Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines — Talk N’ Text cruised to their fifth win in as many games after blowing out Meralco, 91-68, Friday night in the 2014 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
The Texters leaned on their balanced scoring and monster effort from Richard Howell on the glass to dominate the Bolts for a franchise-best start in an import-laden conference.
Talk N’ Text even trailed early, 2-9, but had the lead by the end of the period. That advantage only kept ballooning, and reached as high as 24 points with 3:55 left on a runner from Larry Fonacier.
All but two of the 14 players contributed at least a point for the Texters with Ranidel De Ocampo scoring 15, Jayson Castro and Fonacier with 14, Howell with 13 and Harvey Carey with 11.
“Looking at the stats, I think it was a great team effort on our part,” said head coach Norman Black after the game. “It was a good defensive effort on our part.”
But the Texters also had a huge edge on boards, 61-50, with Powell hauling down 22, and on assists, 18-9, with Castro doling out six.
An 11-3 run to start the third quarter stretched the Texters’ 10-point lead further as the Bolts just couldn’t get the spark to recover.
Import Brian Butch had 16 points, accounting for two of Meralco’s five triples, and 20 boards but the locals just didn’t have the needed impact.
Only John Wilson finished in double digits for the Bolts with 11 points as scoring champion Gary David was limited to eight after a scoreless first half.
The loss broke Meralco’s two-game winning streak as it dropped to 2-2.