TEXTERS GO FOR ‘TWICE-TO-BEAT’ EDGE
Talk n Text has been so dominant that it has a shot at an outright Top Two finish with the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round just entering the homestretch.
The unbeaten pacesetter Tropang Texters go for victory No. 7 and a guaranteed twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals as they tangle with the San Mig Coffee Mixers to headline a rare Monday twinbill at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Another win by the rampaging Texters will push them way ahead of the field at 7-0.
In that scenario, the Mixers fall to 3-2, making them and only the San Miguel Beermen (5-2) the only teams with a mathematical chance to catch up with the Texters.
A triple tie for first to third is no longer possible, though, since the Mixers and the Beermen have yet to meet in the elims.
The Texters, however, are not yet about to count their eggs.
Talk n Text coach Norman Black said playing San Mig Coffee is always a challenge.
“Major concerns will be for us to get back on defense especially off turnovers. We must also have a high energy level on the boards because they are a good rebounding team,” said Black.
The Mixers had also been on a great unbeaten run until yielding to the Energy Cola, 90-92, on an endgame breakdown.
San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone admits they’re facing an uphill battle especially coming from a deflating loss to the Barako Bull Energy Cola.
“No doubt, we’re coming off a disappointing loss that certainly stunned us. We did a poor job of looking past Barako to our matchup with TnT,” said Cone.
“They (the Texters) are the team to beat at this point and they’re going to be difficult to slow down. It’s always tough to play a team with great momentum,” Cone added.
In their last game, the Tropang Texters faced an acid test against the Barangay Ginebra Kings but found a way to pull through, 94-87, and thus further distance themselves from the field.
And that’s before taking a welcome seven-day breather.
Richard Howell and the Texters are refreshed as they face James Mays and the Mixers. (SB)
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