Texters give Black winning PBA return

Batang Pier’s Rudy Lingganay tries to make a shot off Talk ‘N Text’s Pamboy Raymundo (center) and Ranidel de Ocampo during last night’s match. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

FOR A fleeting moment out there, it looked like Norman Black was headed from UAAP high to PBA low.

Playing its first official game under Black, Talk ‘N Text blew a 16-point third quarter lead and needed to hold newcomer Globalport scoreless in the last 3:41 to hammer out a 108-104 win in the Philippine Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Jason Castro scored nine straight points when the game was on the line, and Ranidel de Ocampo nailed the dagger trey with 9.2 seconds left as the duo made sure that Black’s PBA comeback would be a sweet one.

It was the second straight win for the defending champion Tropang Texters, whom Black said he has been handling in and out for less than a month because of his commitment with the Ateneo crew that won a fifth straight UAAP title just a night ago.

“It’s pretty much a work in progress for me,” said Black, who won a Grand Slam with San Miguel in 1989 but last coached in the PBA with defunct Sta. Lucia in 2002.

In the second game, Jeff Chan fired a career-high 35 points as Rain or Shine held off Air21, 99-98, in overtime.

The Painters hiked their record to 2-1 while the Express fell to 1-3.

Castro restored order in the Talk ‘N Text offense by hitting nine straight points for a 105-104 lead with 3:27 remaining, before the Texters’ defense clamped down hard on the Batang Pier, who fell to 0-3.

Vic Manuel, a rookie picked ninth overall, tossed in 21 points, including a split that gave the Batang Pier a 104-101 lead. That was the last time Globalport scored.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel shoots for a third straight win today when the Gin Kings battle Meralco in a road game presented by Phoenix Fuel at  Sports, Cultural and Business Center in Digos, Davao del Sur.

It looked like it would be a breeze for the Texters after a Larry Fonacier triple with 1:04 left in the third period gave them an 86-70 lead.

But Miller, Manuel and Rabeh Al-Hussaini, benched the last time out for disciplinary reasons, rallied the Batang Pier, which played without last year’s scoring champion Gary David because of a knee injury suffered from a freak accident in practice.

The scores:

First Game

TALK ‘N TEXT 108—Castro 30, Reyes 19, Fonacier 19, De Ocampo 15, Williams 11, Alapag 5, Peek 4, Carey 3, Gamalinda 2, Raymundo 0, Alvarez 0.

GLOBALPORT 104—Miller 22, Manuel 21, Al-Hussaini 17, Salvador 9, Vanlandingham 8, Deutchman 7, Guevarra 6, Yee 6, Mandani 4, Cruz 2, Antonio 2, Lingganay 0.

Quarters: 32-31, 57-52, 86-74, 108-104

Second Game

RAIN OR SHINE 99—Chan 35, Cruz 12, Norwood 12, Belga 8, Quinahan 8, Ibanes 7, Tang 5, Arana 5, Rodriguez 4, Jaime 3, Matias 0.

AIR21 98—Wilson 21, Canaleta 13, Isip 12, Omolon 11, Arboleda 10, Sena 8, Baclao 8, Escobal 6, Taha 4, Ritualo 3, Atkins 2.

Quarters: 18-26, 43-48, 75-68, 94-94, 99-98