Photo by Nuki Sabio
Darnell Hinson made a difference in his very first PBA game Thursday night, finishing with 26 points to help B-Meg nip Talk ‘N Text, 111-105, and deal the Tropang Texters their first Governors’ Cup loss in an out-of-the-country showdown.
Hinson drained consecutive triples in a crucial third-quarter stretch that highlighted a 21-1 B-Meg run and turned a 10-point deficit in the first half into a comfortable win carved out before several thousand overseas Filipino workers at the Al Shabab Sports Club inDubai.
James Yap scorched the Texters with 32 points and Marc Pingris added 17 to complete a three-sided blade that cut down the Texters’ myth of invincibility built around three lopsided wins.
“We played bad, particularly in the first quarter partly because we couldn’t run our plays the way we’re supposed to, and the guys sort of lost their poise,” B-Meg coach Jorge Gallent said after his squad rose to 3-2 with its second straight win.
“But the good thing is, we picked our game up when we had to,” added Gallent, who didn’t mince words in praising his new import. “He played well. I’m sure Darnell will still get better once he has settled down with the team. He’s exactly the right fit for us.”
Hinson, who came in as a replacement for Stefhon Hannah, also collected 12 rebounds.
Pingris was the other Llamado with a double-double after also collecting 12 rebounds, while Yap, the reigning MVP, hit 12-of-21 shots.
The scores:
B-MEG DERBY ACE 111—J. Yap 32, Hinson 26; Pingris 17, Devance 16, Simon 9, Allado 4, R. Yap 3, Reavis 2, Villanueva 2, Gaco 0, Fernandez 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT 105—Castro 24, Baker 20, De Ocampo 20, Carey 20, Williams 10, Alvarez 4, Fonacier 3, Alapag 2, Aban 2, Peek 0,Lao 0.
Quarters: 21-29; 53-56; 82-74; 111-105