TALK N TEXT TAKES NO. 1 SPOT
Paul Harris blew past Zach Mason in a strong drive to the basket, and in the next play pulled up for a trey to highlight Talk n Text’s endgame flurry versus Barangay Ginebra San Miguel that carried the Tropang Texters all the way to a top finish in the PBA elims, yet again.
Harris and the Texters reigned over the Kings, 96-92, and claimed top honors in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup elimination round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.
Talk n Text, also the Commissioner’s Cup elims top finisher with a perfect 9-0 mark, wound up with a 7-2 slate this time.
Losing three of their last four games, the Kings tumbled to 5-4 and missed the Top Four.
The TnT triumph coupled by Alaska’s 90-87 decision over Barako Bull earlier in the day guaranteed Rain or Shine and San Mig Coffee’s Top Four passage.
Left in contention for the last seat in the Top Four are Alaska and San Miguel Beer. Their hopes depend on the result of the Rain or Shine-San Mig Coffee tiff Monday also at the Big Dome.
“It’s good that we’re No. 1 (in the elims again) but we still have a goal to achieve and that’s winning the championship,” said Talk n Text coach Norman Black.
Exploding for nine triples and 39 points the last time, Harris seized the moment again Sunday, erupting for 16 of his 31 points in the payoff period against the Kings.
“It was a roller-coaster ride. Both teams made a lot of runs then Paul Harris came up big in the end,” said Black.
He’s 1-of-8 from beyond the arc in this game before unloading a big trey to settle the outcome of the game.
He totally outclassed Zach Mason in the final period and finished with double-double numbers with 31 markers and 16 rebounds as against the Ginebra import’s 15 buckets and 19 boards.
Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro and Jimmy Alapag had their significant contributions as the Texters fought back from a 12-point deficit at the start of the fourth canto and beat out the Kings at endgame.
The count was tied at 83-all before the Texters made the biggest run in the game, surging ahead at 90-83 with time down to 35 seconds.
As the playoffs top seeds, the Texters, with a twice-to-beat advantage, play the eighth ranked Barako Bull Energy in the quarterfinals.
“We play Barako in the quarters and that’s an interesting matchup. We lost to them the last time. We have to match their intensity especially that of Allen Durham,” Black said. (SB)
The scores:
TALK N’ TEXT 96 – Harris 31, De Ocampo 18, Castro 18, Fonacier 12, Canaleta 8, Alapag 5, Williams 2, Baclao 2, Reyes Ryan 0, Reyes Rob 0, Carey 0.
GINEBRA 92 – Aguilar 18, Mason 15, Slaughter 15, Baracael 14, Tanorio 14, Ababou 7, Helterbrand 3, Knuttel 2, Reyes 2, Monfort 2, Ellis 0, Caguioa 0.
Quarterscores: 19-20, 40-46, 55-67, 96-92
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