TALK ‘N Text import Richard Howell (center) controls the rebound as Jay Washington boxes out Barako Bull’s Carlo Lastimosa in last night’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
TALK ‘N Text survived a sloppy second half and snapped Barako Bull’s three-game winning streak with Jason Castro leading the way in an 80-75 victory last night in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Texters scored just 33 points in the last two frames, but held on tenaciously on the defensive end to tie their victims at 3-1.
Six players scored in twin digits for coach Jong Uichico, with Castro shooting 16, including a booming triple entering the final two minutes that made it 79-72.
Barangay Ginebra scored a second straight win later in the night after peeling away from upset-conscious KIA Motors in the fourth quarter for a 100-92 win.
The Gin Kings drew 27 points and 11 rebounds from Michael Dunigan in rising to 2-2.
The Carnival slumped to a second straight loss in a 1-4 card despite the 37 points and 22 rebounds of import PJ Ramos.
Meanwhile, Purefoods shoots for a fifth straight win—and the solo lead—when the defending champion Star Hotshots slug it out with on-and-off Rain or Shine in a Petron Saturday Special Game slated at Dipolog Sports Center at 5 p.m. today.
This will be just the second game for new Purefoods import Daniel Orton, who had an impressive debut in an 87-62 massacre of NLEX on Wednesday.
Uichico said he didn’t think his Texters are in the form that he wants them to be at this point.
“We still have to get better,” he said. “We had a good first half and, obviously, we didn’t have a good second half. They (Energy) just missed some shots. We just escaped with a win.”
Richard Howell scored just 11 but grabbed 18 rebounds for the Texters, the losing finalists in this conference last season.
The Texters’ victory halted Barako Bull’s franchise-best conference start at three games, but not after surviving a huge scare from the Energy, who got 16 points from Carlo Lastimosa.
The scores:
First Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 80—Castro 16, Rosser 15, Miller 13, De Ocampo 11, Howell 11, Fonacier 10, Alas 4, Washington 0, Carey 0, Labagala 0, Espiritu 0, Reyes R. J. 0, Aban 0.
BARAKO 75—Alabi 21, Lastimosa 16, Pascual 12, Garcia 8, Intal 7, Lanete 5, Wilson 4, Marcelo 2, Chua 0, Salvador 0, Hubalde 0, Salva 0, Paredes 0, Sorongon 0.
Quarters: 25-19, 47-37, 62-59, 80-75
Second Game
GINEBRA 100—Dunigan 27, Slaughter 14, Tenorio 11, Yeo 11, Caguioa 11, Ellis 8, Mamaril 6, Baracael 6, Aguilar 4, Monfort 2, Pena 0, Urbiztondo 0, Helterbrand 0, Ababou 0, Brondial 0.
KIA 92—Ramos 37, Yee 13, Revilla 9, Avenido 9, Cawaling 6, Pascual 6, Thiele 6, Dehesa 2, Alvarez 2, Bagatsing 2, Poligrates 0, Ighalo 0, Burtscher 0, Buensuceso 0.
Quarters: 25-17, 46-45, 70-70, 100-92