MANILA—Rain or Shine guns for a third straight win today when the streaking Elasto Painters and import Arizona Reid battle Grand Slam-seeking Talk ‘N Text in the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
After easy wins over BMEG and Air21, the Painters will try to stay in the lead against the formidable Tropang Texters, who seem to have settled down to doing their job in a 101-75 ripping of the Alaska Aces last week.
“That was a good start for us,” Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes, whose wards didn’t show even a tinge of championship hangover just weeks after bagging the second jewel in their first bid for a Triple Crown sweep.
“I think the key for us in this tournament is that we should continue to be hungry and dissatisfied,” he added. “We have to be constantly not content with our effort, with our game and continue to push it.”
Game time is 4:15 p.m. before crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra squares off with sister squad Petron Blaze in the main game slated at 6:30.
“I think this early, the best two imports I’ve seen are Arizona Reid and Curtis Stinson (of Barangay Ginebra),” Reyes said. “Arizona Reid is really a monster. And in our team, we don’t have size at all.
“That’s going to be a challenge for us to be able to match Reid and keep him off the boards,” Reyes said.
Meanwhile, Meralco grabbed a share of the early lead even minus its two key cogs as the Bolts tripped Alaska, 81-78, yesterday at the Lanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte.
Import Champ Oguchi buried 28 points to help the Bolts regain control in the second half after they blew a 22-8 start in the road game presented by Phoenix Fuels.
The Bolts, who have been playing minus injured leading scorer Mac Cardona and guard Chris Ross, joined Rain or Shine on top at 2-0.
The scores:
MERALCO 81—Oguchi 28, Mercado 16, Espinas 16, Taulava 8, Isip 7, Hugnatan 4, Ritualo 2, Aljamal 0, Weinstein 0, Omolon 0, Gamalinda 0.
ALASKA 78—Forte 22, Baguio 20, Borboran 8, Reyes 7, Tenorio 7, Thoss 5, Gonzales 4, Custodio 3, Cablay 2, Eman 0, Bugia 0.
Quarters: 14-27, 42-37, 56-63, 78-81