Talk ‘N Text claimed the top seed in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs as expected, dispatching of Petron Blaze, 107-80, in a match that had some intensity but not the great plays that usually characterize games of both squads.
Jason Castro scored all of his 19 points in the final three periods and Jared Dillinger added 16 as the Tropang Texters broke away in the third period at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to close out eliminations with a 7-2 tally.
Petron was out of it early in the third after facing several monstrous deficits, and finished in ninth spot with a 3-6 record.
“It was a war. The lead just ballooned in the end. It’s a strong team that just caught some bad breaks this conference,” Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes told reporters later. “Coming into tonight, I told the players that the other team (Petron) has something to play for.
“[Petron was] playing for [its] sister teams,” Reyes continued. “That’s a reality that we have to understand.”
The Talk ‘N Text victory put Barangay Ginebra, a 103-87 winner over Air21 earlier, in a playoff match with sister team B-Meg for the second outright Final Four slot.
And Ginebra’s win, which gave the Gin Kings a final 6-3 card, gave Barako Bull a free pass into the quarterfinals, leaving Powerade and Meralco to battle it out for the sixth and final playoff slot.
Both matches are scheduled Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
Donnell Harvey fired 15 points and had 12 rebounds for the Texters.
Will McDonald paced the Boosters with 20 points and 16 boards, with Arwind Santos adding 16 and 13.
Ginebra used import Jackson Vroman for just 29 minutes as the Kings opened up leads of as many as 22 points in the fourth to eventually close out their elimination round schedule in a tie with idle B-Meg.
Air21 finished dead last in the 10-team field for the second straight tournament with a 3-6 tally, and the Express didn’t make their exit pretty after forward Ogie Menor almost ignited a free-for-all in the second period because of a cheap shot on Vroman.
The scores:
First Game
BRGY. GINEBRA 103—Vroman 19, Cortez 18, Caguioa 13, Ababou 9, Raymundo 9, W. Wilson 8, Villanueva 8, Hatfield 8, Labagala 6, J. Wilson 3, Canaleta 2, Mamaril 0.
AIR21 87—Douthit 19, Jazul 19, Omolon 15, Sena 11, Ritualo 10, Hubalde 7, Isip 4, Escobal 2, Sison 0, Espiritu 0, Menor 0, Duncil 0.
Quarters: 26-25, 53-42, 78-67, 103-87
Second Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 107—Castro 19, Dillinger 16, Harvey 15, Alapag 11, Williams 10, Aguilar 9, Reyes 7, Fonacier 6, Carey 6, De Ocampo 5, Gamalinda 3, Raymundo 0.
PETRON 80—McDonald 20, Santos 16, Yeo 11, Miranda 11, Ildefonso 6, Guevarra 4, Tugade 4, Al-Hussaini 2, Reyes 2, Lanete 2, Cabagnot 2, Rizada 0.
Quarters: 26-21, 49-39, 82-63, 107-80