MANILA, Philippines — Talk N’ Text thwarted efforts by Rain or Shine to tie their series, winning 89-81, and seizing a 2-0 edge in the 2012-2013 PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finals Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Talk N’ Text banked on a 12-2 run with under five minutes to go to create separation from the Elastopainters, who even took the lead early in the fourth and with under six minutes left to play.
Sly forward Ranidel De Ocampo sizzled down the stretch and exploited his defenders to carry the Texters with 24 points — including key buckets — nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in game two.
“We are up 2-0 but as far as I’m concerned, it takes four to win a championship,” said head coach Norman Black.
“As a team, we really played good defense. We want defense to be our calling card,” added Black.
The Texters, who are gunning for their third straight All-Filipino Cup title, made the right stops and clamped down on the Elastopainters, who last led 76-75 on two freethrows by Lee.
It started with an and-one opportunity for Kelly Williams followed by a long pull up jumper by Jared Dillinger that gave the Texters the lead for good, 80-76.
De Ocampo then easily shook off his defender, unleashed four straight points before Ryan Reyes nailed a backbreaking triple with 2:07 left to stretch the lead to nine, 87-78.
Paul Lee, who was responsible for the Elastopainters’ last seven markers, made one last push with a three-point play in the ensuing possession. But De Ocampo put the outcome beyond doubt with 1:38 to go.
Down the wire, Talk N’ Text showed poise, which it did not have in the third quarter where surplus of turnovers put the Texters at a disadvantage.
“We seem to have a problem when we make turnovers,” said Black as the Elastopainters feasted on the Texters’ 13 turnovers and converted it to 19 points.
Rain or Shine — after being down by as many as 11 — took a 61-57 lead with 1:35 left in the third quarter, but the advantage was easily wiped away entering the fourth.
Rain or Shine matched their game one output from downtown by the first half, but the Elastopainters outside shooting still did not click overall, making just 6-of-23.
JR Quinahan had 16 points, six rebounds while Lee added 15 points and nine rebounds as Jeff Chan, last conference’s finals MVP, continued his shooting woes (3-of-11 FG%) to wound up with nine.
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