TALK ‘N TEXT STOPS RAIN OR SHINE RUN
Though not yet in their desired form, the Talk n Text Tropang Texters still found a way to keep their mastery of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
The Texters stopped the E-Painters’ five-game streak and made it 6-0 in their head-on duels in the season via an 86-76 win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
“We’re still trying to make adjustments because of Donnell Harvey. The battle cry was just basically we can’t score the way we like so we play defense. I think we did well,” said Talk n Text coach Norman Black.
“At least in this game, we played much better on defense. Our defense was suspect in this conference,” added Black as they continued their domination of Rain or Shine and stayed abreast with Meralco at fourth place at 4-3.
The E-Painters, playing minus coach Yeng Guiao who’s attending personal matters in the United Stated, moved down to joint second with the Petron Blaze Boosters at 5-2.
The Texters are now 10-1 versus the E-Painters dating back to last season.
For this game, the Texters pulled through as they neutralized in particular 7-foot-3 Rain or Shine import Bruno Sundov.
“We put two big men on him all night. The idea was to keep a body between him and the basket. He’s seven two and he’s a good offensive player,” said Black.
With the help of Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo, Donnell Harvey held Sundov to just eight rebounds.
Sundov made 25 points but Harvey got 23 and drew the needed firepower support from Larry Fonacier, Jayson Castro, De Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag.
Castro, Fonacier and Jared Dillinger hit clutch baskets as the Texters made a key run from 72-70 count with five minutes left to play.
Nailing his third and last three-pointer in the night, Fonacier gave the Texters a decisive 79-70 lead entering the last three-minute mark.
Fonacier went 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and became the 23rd player to have made at least 500 treys.
The former Ateneo hitman finished with 17 points that went with nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in 30 minutes of play.
Former TnT coach Chot Reyes, as usual, was present in the game. However, he sat on the commissioner’s row, away from the Talk n Text gallery since he’s now serving as Sports 5 head.
It’s an additional item for Reyes from the MVP Group where he also serves as top official of the MVP Sports Foundation and head coach of the national team. (SB)
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