Talk N’ Text fends off Purefoods to tie PBA semis series at 1-1

Talk ‘N Text got it going late to fend off defending champion Purefoods, 93-77, and even their semifinals series at 1-1 in the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jayson Castro took over down the stretch, scoring seven of his team-high 21 points in the final three minutes, to seal the Tropang Texters’ win.

“If we lost it would’ve been hard for us to comeback from 0-2 down. All we want is a fair shot to get to the Finals,” said TNT head coach Jong Uichico after his team bounced back from a 100-94 loss in Game 1 last Wednesday.

Game 3 is set on Thursday night also at the Big Dome.

Ivan Johnson recorded 16 points, 20 rebounds and five steals while rookie Kevin Alas gave the Texters a lift scoring 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Things got chippy between the two teams in the second half. TNT rookie Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Purefoods swingman Allein Maliksi got entangled in the closing seconds of the third quarter that resulted to Maliksi getting called for a flagrant foul 1 after hitting Rosser on the mouth with a forearm.

Johnson and Hotshots forward Marc Pingris also had their exchange in the fourth quarter where they got called for a double technical that eventually spilled over to the hallway.

The ill-tempered Johnson and Pingris had to be pacified by their respective teammates and security personnel as both squads were heading into their dugouts just seconds after the game.

“Emotions are really high especially in this series,” said Uichico. “It’s a given that emotions will be high.”

Alas nailed back-to-back 3-pointers that gave Talk ‘N Text a 73-70 lead while Castro scored seven straight points in clutch to put the game away, 87-77, with 1:22 left.

Denzel Bowles scored 35 points for the Hotshots but had just two points in the fourth quarter. Bowles posted a career-high 49 points in Game 1.CC