Texters blast Energy; Hotshots edge Bolts

JOE Devance of Purefoods puts up a shot against Jared Dillinger of Meralco in yesterday’s match in Biñan, Laguna. PBA images

BIÑAN, Laguna—Talk ‘N Text, with Jason Castro turning in a dominant first-half performance, overpowered Barako Bull, 122-106, yesterday at Alonte Sports Center here  and boosted its  playoff position in the PBA Philippine Cup.

The 6-foot Castro scored all but four of his 26 points in the first two quarters, 14 of them in the opening period,  to jumpstart the Talk ‘N Text offense that had the Tropang Texters leading by as large as 31 points on the way to rising to 5-3 overall.

Talk ‘N Text climbed into a tie for fourth spot with idle Barangay Ginebra, a vital position which the Texters would need to hold on to gain a big advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Defending champion Purefoods also remained in the upper half of the standings after a close  77-74 decision of Meralco in the second game.

The Star Hotshots got a mammoth lift from unheralded center Yousef Taha in the fourth period to fend off the hard-fighting Bolts and win a third straight game for a  4-3 record.

Despite the win, Talk ‘N Text coach Jong Uichico was hardly impressed.

“We had a good offensive game but we didn’t have a good defensive game,” the multi-titled Uichico, who took over from Norman Black at the start of the year, said. “I have to ask more from them from the defensive end.”

Barako Bull, after two straight victories that included a first triumph over league-leading Alaska by anyone last week, dropped to 2-6 but remained well within the magic circle of teams that will advance past this phase at 10th place.

The top two teams after the single round elimation will earn automatic berths to the Final Four, with Nos. 3-6 earning twice-to-beat privileges against Nos. 7-10 in the first phase.

Taha scored eight points in the fourth, including a string of six during a key stretch as the Hotshots dealt the Bolts a fourth loss in eight games.

The 6-foot-7 center wound up with 14 points and nine rebounds. He shot 6-of-7 from the field in his best game in a Purefoods uniform.

Former MVP Jimmy Alapag finished with 14 points with three others shooting 10 or more in the Texters’ biggest victory this conference.

Paolo Hubalde paced the Energy with 19, with JC Intal shooting 16 like Chico Lanete. The Energy suffered a big dip in performance considering they were coming from that upset of the erstwhile unbeaten Aces.

The scores:

First Game

TALK ‘N TEXT 122—Castro 26, Alapag 14, Fonacier 13, De Ocampo 13, Aban 10, Rosser 9, Washington 8, Reyes Rob 7, Reyes Ryan 7, Alas 7, Carey 6, Seigle 2, Aguilar 0, Espiritu 0.

BARAKO 106—Hubalde 19, Intal 16, Lanete 16, Miranda 12, Pennisi 11, Marcelo 9, Lastimosa 7, Pascual 7, Wilson 7, Garcia 2, Salvador 0, Salva 0, Paredes 0.

Quarters: 40-20, 73-48, 97-79, 122-106

Second Game

PUREFOODS 77—Simon 18, Barroca 16, Taha 14, Yap 11, Devance 7, Pingris 4, Maliksi 4, Mallari 3, Melton 0.

MERALCO 74—David 20, Dillinger 12, Hodge 9, Macapagal 9, Caram 8, Hugnatan 4, Atkins 3, Cortez 3, Buenafe 2, Sena 2, Ferriols 2, Guevarra 0.

Quarters: 18-16,  40-33,  52-59,  77-74