TALK 'N TEXT TAKES 2ND SEMIS SPOT

For Talk n Text, it only felt like heaven after surviving a hell of a Friday night versus the short-handed but never-say-die B-MEG Derby Ace team.


Pulling through, Talk n Text joined Smart Gilas Pilipinas in claiming automatic seats in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four.


The Texters gained outright semis entry and helped three teams clinch seats in the quarterfinals as they subdued the fierce-fighting Llamados, 107-102, in a fateful game at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Texters beat the Llamados in the homestretch, thus, assuring themselves of at least second spot
at the close of the elimination round with a 7-1 win-loss record.

Sending the Llamados to a 4-5 finish, the Texters gave the Alaska Milk Aces (5-3), the Barangay
Ginebra Kings (5-3) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (4-4) free ride into the quarters.

The last remaining slot in the quarters is now a toss-up between Derby Ace and Air21.

It’s Air21 if it sweeps it last two games versus Powerade and Alaska Milk. One Air21 loss allows
Derby Ace to steal it.

“I must say I was relieved as we won and got a Top Two seat,” said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

“But I’m very disappointed with our effort,” Reyes was quick to add.

Derby Ace import Courtney Beasly was thrown out of the game due to a flagrant infraction just 30
seconds into the game. Still, the Texters went through 48 minutes of hell.

“In the end, the only difference was that we had an import and they didn’t have. We messed up
big time in this game,” rued Reyes. “We’re lucky we made our shots in the end and carved out
the win.”

Paul Harris and Jimmy Alapag knocked in the key shots that bailed the Texters out of trouble.

But it was close up to the finish with the Llamados down by only five at 95-100 entering the last
two minutes of play.

The Texters gained a big break after Jonas Villanueva committed a crucial error which was parlayed
into two free throws by Alapag making it 102-95 with time down to 1:31.

Kerby Raymundo, PJ Simon, Nino Canaleta, Marc Pingris and Roger Yap gave Derby Ace a big push,
enabling the Llamados to fight the Texters through seven deadlocks and the same number of lead
changes.

But minus Beasley, Paul Harris proved to be a big matchup problem for the Llamados with the TnT
import collecting 37 points and 13 rebounds.

Harris struck hard in the payoff period, firing away 10 points.

Beasley was ejected so early in the game on a landing-spot-rule infraction versus Harvey Carey.

On his exit, Raymundo led the Derby Ace bid, coming through with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

He grabbed seven defensive boards, becoming the 33rd PBA player to have at least 2,000. (SB)

The scores:

Talk N' Text 107 - Harris 37, De Ocampo 23, Alapag 10, Williams 8, Castro 7, Fonacier 7, Peek 6,
Carey 4, Aban 3, Reyes 2, Lao 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 102 - Raymundo 22, Simon 17, Canaleta 13, Pingris 13, Yap R. 11, Villanueva 8,
Adducul 8, Gaco 7, Escobal 3, Beasley 0, Allado 0.

Quarters: 31-29, 60-56, 78-77, 107-102

Article credit: PBA