TEXTERS WARY OF EXPRESS
Talk n Text coach Norman Black is among those who consider Air21 a serious contender.
Black and the Tropang Texters take on the Express with a lot of caution as the two teams fight to keep a solid spot in the Top Four in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Monday night.
This lone Monday tussle is set at 8 p.m.
“It’s a big game for both teams as it will keep the winner within the top four spots,” said Black.
“Air21 has been playing well so it will be difficult. We will have to try and slow down the ageless Asi Taulava and their import Dominique Sutton. Also (Joseph) Yeo and Macmac (Cardona) will have to be the focus of our defense,” Black also said.
Truly, Air21 has been playing remarkable basketball from the playoffs stage of last conference, and is among the teams that have gotten off to a strong start in the season-ending tourney.
Victories over Rain or Shine, Barako Bull and Alaska have made the Express among the tournament frontrunners nearing the halfway mark of the short single round elims stage.
Sutton and Taulava average double-double numbers while Yeo and Cardona are other Air21 locals norming twin-digit outputs.
Talk n Text is tied with Air21 and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 3-1, suffering a loss to Alaska a week ago while forced to play with an all-Filipino crew.
With import replacement Rodney Carney, the Texters have made it two in row over the RoS Elasto Painters and the San Miguel Beermen.
Obviously, the Texters are far from peak form.
“Offensively, it’s a work in progress, but we will continue to try and blend Carney in with the team,” said Black. (SB)
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