Talk N’ Text eyes sweep, title slot tonight

MANILA, Philippines — There are two things Talk ‘N Text can achieve with another victory over undermanned Rain or Shine Friday.

One of them is sealing the franchise’s longest PBA winning streak ever.

Nothing appeals to coach Norman Black and his boys better than the next one, though.

“To be honest with you, we haven’t even talked about the streak,” Black said Tuesday night, moments after a 94-87 win that gave the Tropang Texters their 12th straight victory and a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Final Four series with the Elasto Painters in the Commissioner’s Cup.

“It (streak) hasn’t come up (in team meetings),” added Black. “I haven’t mentioned it, the players haven’t mentioned it. We are taking things one game at a time.

“We are not concerned about the streak right now. The goal in hand is to make the championship.”

A 13th straight win that could come in the 8 p.m. game at Smart Araneta Coliseum will put the Texters in the Finals for the first time this season—against either San Mig Coffee or Air21—and Black and his troops will have a huge advantage.

Wayne Chism is listed as doubtful for the Painters, who are already without three key locals as they try to avoid getting the axe with a hard-fighting all-Filipino crew that almost pulled off the trick in Game 2.

Chism twisted his left knee after an awkward landing from a rebound play just after the halfway point of the second quarter of Game 2. He was helped off the court and failed to return.

Without him, the Painters gave up a lot in size to the Texters but refused to go down without a hard fight.

Jervy Cruz will be out for at least three weeks while Chris Tiu and JR Quinahan could be unavailable for the rest of the season because of knee injuries for the Painters, whose all-Filipino crew was already the second best for the season.

“It’s not that easy beating a team playing all-Filipino,” Black said.

But Black doesn’t only have a good import in Richard Howell. He also has one of the most talented local lineups on paper that is very healthy and ripe for another championship.

Jason Castro, Ranidel De Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag have been huge for the Texters, who have not made a championship series since winning the Philippine Cup two seasons ago.

Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood and Beau Belga will try to lead the Painters in gutting out a win and forge a Game 4 tomorrow that would hopefully allow Chism more time to rest his knee and see action.

Rain or Shine finished second in the last two conferences—both to San Mig Coffee, which was battling Air21 in the second game of their series at press time and hoping to avoid going down 0-2 against the surprise package of the tournament.