Texters, Mixers play KO tiff for Govs’ Cup Finals berth

JOE DEVANCE (right) of the San Mig Coffee Mixers tries to post up Ranidel de Ocampo of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters during Game 4 of their semifinal series Wednesday night. Both players came through in crucial moments, but
it was De Ocampo who wound up on top after the Texters won, 84-81. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Talk ‘N Text and San Mig Coffee, fagged out after figuring in a classic game that highlighted this series to remember, go at it one final time today for the right to play in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.

Game 5 of what has been a series for the ages is slated at 8 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, with the stats of the past to be thrown out the window since this will all boil down to who wants it more and to who has more to give.

Two of the first four games went into extension, including an 84-81 Game 4 victory by the Tropang Texters on Wednesday night that paved the way for tonight’s do-or-die encounter.

A lot is riding on this game for both teams, more so for the Mixers, whose Grand Slam bid now seems in peril by a resurgent Talk ‘N Text crew that has the chance to become just the fourth team in 39 years to erase a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series.

“For us, this is it. We wanted to take this to a Game 5 and now we are here,” Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black said in a text message. “What’s left is to finish the job and leave all our energy on the floor.”

Black departed from his usual strategy and is maximizing the use of his entire roster, and in a game like this one, that ploy could ultimately turn out well for them since some of his aces have gotten precious rest.

San Mig coach Tim Cone, meanwhile, suddenly went to a nine-man rotation on Wednesday night and could have juiced his players out.

Curiously enough, of the three teams that have blown 2-0 leads, Cone was a coach of one of them, the Alaska crew that lost to Purefoods in five games in the 1990 Third Conference Finals.

The Mixers came so close to another title shot—and keep the Triple Crown dream rolling—only for the Texters to spoil the party with a great effort in the extra five minutes.

Marqus Blakely was the missing offensive link for Cone in Game 4, shooting just two first half points as the Mixers failed to distance themselves.