Tropang Texters target title sweep tonight

MANILA, Philippines— Enjoying quadruple championship points, Talk ‘N Text guns for a sweep of Powerade Friday and the distinction as the first repeat champion of the PBA Philippine Cup in 27 years.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven title series is set at 6:45 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao and all indications point to another Talk ‘N Text celebration after the Tropang Texters weathered Powerade’s “mightiest fightback” in Game 3 last Wednesday.

“The thing that we are worried of right now is that Powerade will be playing with nothing to lose,” Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes said. “That’s why we have no reason to relax.
“We know how it feels because we were 1-3 down to Petron (Blaze in the semifinals),” Reyes added. “And that’s what makes them (Tigers) dangerous.”

No team in the history of the league has rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series and only one of 11 teams which had taken 3-0 leads was ever taken to a Game 6. Barangay Ginebra was extended to a sixth game by Alaska in the 1997 Commissioner’s Cup finals.

“Like I said after (being 0-2 down), as long as we have that chance, we will continue to fight,” Powerade coach Bo Perasol said after a heart-rending, overtime 126-133 Game 3 loss.

Talk ‘N Text’s huge advantage in manpower, as exemplified in Game 3, has been too much to bear for the Tigers.

The Texters’ frontline throws their weight around the shaded lane, with the Tigers still trying to look for someone other than Doug Kramer to come up with a monster game to offset the efforts of Ali Peek and Ranidel de Ocampo for Talk ‘N Text.

On Wednesday, De Ocampo scored all but four of his 21 points in the fourth period and overtime with no one able to counter for the Tigers, especially in the extra five minutes.

Powerade’s Big Three of Gary David, Marcio Lassiter and JV Casio got a lot of help from Kramer and Sean Anthony on Wednesday. But the Tigers still couldn’t put away the Texters who hit shots from almost everywhere.

Larry Fonacier has made a great case for himself in the Finals MVP derby. Aside from helping shackle David in the first three games of the series, the former Rookie of the Year has emerged as the steadiest outside gun for the Texters.

The former Ateneo ace hit 25 points coming off the bench in Game 3 to pace his teammates.

Should the Texters prevail, they will duplicate what the now-defunct Great Taste franchise pulled off in 1985 to complete back-to-back titles.

A victory would also make the Texters just the sixth team in league history to complete a best-of-seven series sweep. The last 4-0 victory was chalked up by Purefoods in winning the 2009 Philippine Cup over Alaska.