PBA: Harris’ 3-point barrage lifts Texters past Mixers

By: Celest Flores-Colina - 11 years ago

Paul Harris of Talk n Text (white) vs Joe Devance of San Mig (dark). NUKI SABIO/PBA

MANILA, Philippines—Paul Harris went off with nine triples and Talk N’ Text rose to the top spot with a 92-88 win over San Mig Coffee Friday night in the 2014 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Harris wound up with 39 points including three triples in the last 3:42 minutes that put the Texters in front of the Mixers for good in the battle of last conference’s finalists.

“A lot of credit for this goes to Paul Harris. He came out with an outstanding effort,” said head coach Norman Black.

Black also commended Ryan Reyes, who had four rebounds, six assists and two steals, for taking over the point with skipper Jimmy Alapag out due to illness.

“I’m very pleased with the way the team responded with our captain out. Ryan Reyes gave us a good match up against big guards of San Mig.”

Jayson Castro, meanwhile, finished with 19 points, eight coming in the fourth quarter where the Texters even trailed by four, 81-77, before Harris’ treys.

Talk N’ Text’s sixth victory with just two setbacks puts them at number one in the top-heavy standings of the season-ending conference.

The Mixers, meanwhile, fell into a complicated four-way log jam with Rain or Shine, Air21, and Ginebra at 5-3 behind the Texters.

Joe Devance finished with 30 points for San Mig Coffee and kept them in the game in the first three quarters where the Mixers trailed for the better part.

A strong third quarter finish put San Mig ahead, 70-68, but Devance was held scoreless in the payoff period and the Mixers failed to piunce on the chance to pull away.