CLOSING FLURRY LIFTS TNT OVER ROS

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Reigning Best Import awardee Richard Howell struggled on early fouls but delivered when it mattered most as Talk n Text turned back Rain or Shine, 89-86, in Day Two of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome Wednesday.

Howell scored only 13 points but made four in a 12-5 closing flurry that saved the night for the Tropang Texters.

Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro knocked in clutch baskets inside the final minute as the Texters squeezed through in the tight finish, negating Rick Jackson’s explosive 30-point debut for Rain or Shine.

“We didn’t look pretty. We have some work at hand,” said Talk n Text coach Jong Uichico as they barely won their first game in this mid-season tourney where they finished second to Purefoods last season.

“It seemed like we’re starting the first conference again. So we have to keep on working,” Uichico also said.

Dominated most of the match by Jackson and his taunting acts, Howell had the last laugh as he beat out the RoS import at the finish.

Howell was 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-6 from the stripe when he scored off Jackson twice entering the final minute.

Jackson had his big shot that gave Rain or Shine its last taste of the lead at 86-85.

But after De Ocampo scored on a fade-away off Beau Belga, Jackson flubbed a top-of-the-key shot, giving Talk n Text a crucial possession in the last 27 seconds.

Taking the ball in his hands in that crucial possession, Castro shook off defender Jonathan Uyloan and converted a bank shot that made it 89-86 with time down to 5.2 seconds.

The Texters eventually won the game as Chris Tiu misfired a trey at the buzzer.

Castro led the TnT scorers with 15 points while De Ocampo put in a double-double with 14 markers and 11 rebounds.

A fourth TnT player who delivered a double-digit output was the returning Willie Miller who went 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-2 from the stripe for 10 points in 19 minutes of action.

“Willie’s okay since he’s been playing even when he was out of the PBA. He did not hurt us but gave us his scoring presence,” said Uichico of the two-time MVP winner.

Howell scored only four points but nine TnT locals had their contributions as the Texters took the half at 48-42.

Kevin Alas made a bizarre three-pointer at the buzzer to give Talk n Text a 23-20 lead in the opening quarter then Castro scored five points inside the final minute as the Texters enjoyed the six-point lead heading to the halftime break.

De Ocampo, Larry Fonacier, Jay Washington, Harvey Carey, Willie Miller, Aaron Aban and Danny Seigle also scored to cushion the impact of Jackson’s 16-point first-half output.

The E-Painters, however, came through with a 12-point turnaround in the third quarter, spurting ahead at 68-64 going into the final canto.

Rain or Shine even led by seven at 78-71 and was still in control at 81-77 before Talk n Text worked on a 12-5 closing attack. (SB)

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