PUERTO PRINCESA—Talk ‘N Text used two massive scoring runs in a stretch that bridged the final two periods and crushed Barangay Ginebra, 104-88, last night to take a 2-1 lead in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup title playoffs.
The Tropang Texters easily wiped out a 59-61 deficit using nine unanswered points to zoom to a 68-61 lead that the Gin Kings never got to overhaul despite massive fan support at the jampacked Puerto Princesa Coliseum here.
TALK ‘N TEXT’S Kelly Williams smothers Ginebra import Nate Brumfield’s drive in last night’s match in Puerto Princesa. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Quicker in every position and bigger and more athletic inside, the Texters then broke the game wide open early in the fourth by holding the Kings scoreless for the first 2:13 and to just a layup for the first 5:18 for an 86-76 lead.
And after Mark Caguioa snapped a three-minute scoreless spell for Ginebra, Larry Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag hit triples that boosted the Texters to a 99-84 lead heading into the final 2:36.
“It was a very tough battle out there,” Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes said on the way to the dugout. “That game was all about runs and we defended a lot better and that was the key.
“After the Game 2 loss, we made sure that we would play a lot better defense tonight.”
Alapag finds range
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is set Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, and the odds again is back in favor of the Texters, with Alapag seemingly finding his range after firing blanks in the series’ first two games.
The Gin Kings also didn’t have an answer to De Ocampo all night as the versatile power forward knocked in five triples to finish with 21 points.
Caguioa led the Kings with 18 markers and Nate Brumfield had another harrowing experience attacking the basket with the Talk ‘N Text defense clamping down hard on him every time he made a move to go inside.
The burly Ginebra import was held to just 16 even as a total of six Talk ‘N Text players scored in twin digits.
Texters import Paul Harris added 15 like Jason Castro, Harvey Carey shot 13, Alapag finished with 11 and Ali Peek chipped in 10.
TNT rules at the half
For the first time in the series, Talk ‘N Text had the lead after two quarters, thanks to two De Ocampo treys, Alapag’s two free throws and a Reyes fallaway jumper for 57-49.
Those De Ocampo triples actually snapped a cold spell for the Texters, who held a 39-29 lead early in the second quarter only to fall into two deadlocks, the last at 47-all after a short Caguioa jumper with 3:51 left before halftime.
Ginebra would score just one more basket after that, though, also through Caguioa, as the Talk ‘N Text defense held.
Talk ‘N Text took a lot better care of the basketball as far as the first half went, committing just nine blunders compared to the 16 that the Gin Kings had.
In a 108-106 Game 2 victory Friday, Ginebra had a total of just 15 miscues.
The scores:
TALK ‘N TEXT 104—De Ocampo 21, Harris 15, Castro 15, Carey 13, Alapag 11, Peek 10, Williams 9, Reyes 6, Fonacier 3, Oreta 1, Aban 0, Lao 0.
GINEBRA 88—Caguioa 18, Brumfield 16, Cortez 13, Wilson J. 9, Wilson W. 8, Labagala 8, Menk 7, Hatfield 4, Miller 3, Tubid 2.
Quarters: 31-29, 57-49, 79-74, 104-88