Ranidel De Ocampo of Talk N’ Text delivers with a fade-away shot over Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze. NUKI SABIO/PBA IMAGE
MANILA, Philippines — With its second unit picking up the slack, Talk N’ Text took charge in the fourth quarter to dispose of Petron Blaze, 100-93, Friday in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals game one at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Texters managed to get a breather in the fourth quarter — leading my as many as 13 points after tight three quarters — then kept the Boosters at bay with key buckets down the stretch.
A clutch triple from Ryan Reyes from top of the key with 26.4 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger when San Mig Coffee pulled back within five, 90-95.
Ranidel De Ocampo led the Texters with 22 points, import Jerome Jordan had 11 — but both went scoreless in the payoff period.
De Ocampo, though, still got a crucial rebound off a missed freethrow by Jordan which paved way for Reyes’ trey.
“We were fortunate that our second steam stepped up. Those guys stepped up and held the fort defensively and supplied the points for us,” said head coach Norman Black.
Through out the third quarter, neither team wanted to give an inch as no one led by bigger than five points.
But the Texters got much-needed space when Rabeh Al-Hussaini scored all but two of the first 10 points of the Texters in fourth quarter, giving them a nine-point lead, 82-73.
The Texters never trailed again as they moved to within a victory of a semifinal spot.
Henry Sims led Petron Blaze with 22 points and 21 boards, but Marcio Lassiter carried the load down the stretch and finished with 17.
Lassiter scored seven points in the final three minutes of the ball game, putting the Boosters within five with 51.3 seconds left.
Petron, though, still dominated the paint, 52-39, but commited 21 miscues — some costly — compared to Talk N’ Text’s nine.