Talk ‘N Text eyes sweep vs Rain or Shine

HARVEY Carey (left) and Talk ‘N Text try to formally shut the door on Gabe Norwood and Rain or Shine tonight. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

With the bubbly chilled and party balloons hanging from the rafters, Talk ‘N Text sets out to apply the broom on Rain or Shine and take its place among the immortals of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Three-to-nothing up and all pumped up, the Tropang Texters battle the beleaguered Elasto Painters today, with a win giving them just the fourth championship sweep in league history and a third straight Philippine Cup title—a feat pulled off just once before in the PBA’s first 38 years.

Talk ‘N Text has all but taken the fight out of the Painters, a gritty side that has tried so hard yet has come to grief in each of the first three games.

And the Texters take the Smart Araneta Coliseum floor at 6:45 p.m. with the first of four chances to wrap it up, awaiting their coronation as the first team in 30 years since defunct Crispa to ever win this prestigious event three straight seasons.

No team in PBA history—or even the National Basketball Association—has ever wiped out a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. And only one of 12 teams ever to fall behind by such was able to take their series into a Game 6.

“Considering we’re up 3-0, we go for the championship on Wednesday (today),” Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black, on the verge of the 11th title of his career, said. “If it ends up being a sweep, so be it. We will come on Wednesday trying to win the title.”

Jason Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo, who are hotly contesting the Best Player of the Conference award to be handed out before tipoff, are again expected to lead the Texters.

Castro and De Ocampo, incidentally, are also battling it out for the Papa John’s Pizza-PBA Press Corps Finals MVP award, which will be handed out if the series ends tonight.