TALK ‘N TEXT TOO MUCH FOR BARAKO BULL
TALK N Text started hot and stayed hot, to the chagrin of Barako Bull.
The Tropang Texters hardly let up in notching a 122-106 victory over the Energy Sunday night to get back on track in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
Jayson Castro set the tone for Talk ‘N Text before the likes of Larry Fonacier, Aaron Aban, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag took over and provided the sustaining fire that totally befuddled the Energy.
Castro wound up with a personal season-high 26 points while Alapag, Fonacier, de Ocampo and Aban chipped in at least 10 points each as the Tropang Texters rebounded from a 97-105 upset loss to GlobalPort last Tuesday and improved to a 5-3 slate overall.
The relentlessness Talk ‘N Text showed on both ends of the court was typified best by Matt Ganuelas and Kevin Alas in the stretch despite the game already secure.
Ganuelas blocked a Chico Lanete drive to protect a 117-101 lead while Alas heaved in a triple that beat the buzzer for the final count.
Paolo Hubalde scattered 19 points and fellow reliever Lanete 16 along with starter JC Intal, but the other reliables for Barako Bull did not fare as well as the team saw its two-game winning streak cut short and fell to 2-6 in all.
The final score of Talk ‘N Text was a league conference-high, borne of some hot shooting in stretches that netted the Tropang Texters a 43-for-85 clip from the floor, including 18-for-38 from beyond the arc.
Talk ‘N Text’s 18 triples were also a league conference high and equaled the ninth all-time most in a game in league history.
Barako Bull did not fare badly, making 40 of 84 shots. But the Energy missed 13 of 34 charity tries and shot just 5-for-20 from rainbow country, those 21 miss from the 15-foot line, a league second-most for a game this conference.
After falling behind by as many as 29 points early Barako Bull did flash some fire, enough to muster a fightback that trimmed the deficit to 77-91.
But Fonacier and Alapag drained a trey each that promptly quelled the threat and gave Talk ‘N Text a 97-79 cushion that Alapag added on to with another triple to start the fourth canto.
With Castro already having 22 points in the first 24 minutes of play the Tropang Texters got off to the big start head coach Jong Uichico wanted to take a very comfortable 73-48 lead at the turn.
The difference actually ballooned to a high of 64-35 as the Tropang Texters wound up making 26 of their first 44 tries from the field, compared to the Energy’s 19-of-40 field shooting.
Intal and Hubalde tried to carry the fight for Barako Bull and they did by combining for 24 points early. But their teammates visibly struggled.
The Energy’s 14 first half turnovers were also translated into as many points by their foes.
Castro clearly set the tone. He made his first four shots from the field and strung up a total 14 in just under eight minutes of play in the opening period to bring Talk ‘N Text into the lead from a 4-6 count.
Aban also drained his first three tries for eight points and Fonacier his first two for seven and they were mainly responsible for stretching TNT’s lead to 40-20 after the first 12 minutes. (NC)
The scores:
TALK N’ TEXT 122 – Castro 26, Alapag 14, Fonacier 13, De Ocampo 13, Aban 10, Rosser 9, Washington 8, Reyes Rob 7, Reyes Ryan 7, Alas 7, Carey 6, Seigle 2, Aguilar 0, Espiritu 0.
BARAKO BULL 106 – Hubalde 19, Intal 16, Lanete 16, Miranda 12, Pennisi 11, Marcelo 9, Lastimosa 7, Pascual 7, Wilson 7, Garcia 2, Salvador 0, Salva 0, Paredes 0.
Quarterscores: 40-20, 73-48, 97-79, 122-106
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