TALK ‘N TEXT ROUTS BARAKO BULL, MAKES LAST 6
ANTIPOLO CITY. – Talk ‘N Text would have none of the tightrope walk Alaska did against NLEX Thursday nor any of the three-quarter squeeze Meralco endured against Purefoods.
After taking a leisurely stroll in the first 12 minutes against Barako Bull Friday, the Tropang Texters went to work after head coach Jong Uichico cracked the whip and their prized rookies got the green light to take over.
Its eyes on reclaiming the all-Filipino title it dominated this past decade, Talk ‘N Text came through without any distractions from halfway in the second period, running roughshod over Barako Bull, 105-76, and moving to the knockout phase of the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the Ynares Sports Center here.
The Tropang Texters will face the winner of the playoff encounter between twice-to- beat Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and GlobalPort late Friday evening.
Avoiding the rugged path taken by Alaska and Meralco, the Tropang Texters left nothing to chance against the Energy.
Talk ‘N Text put the game away in the second quarter, shattering a 29-all count with a closing 18-3 run to end the half, 47-32, as neophytes Kevin Alas and Matt Ganuelas came up big.
Alas, one of two basketball-playing sons of Alaska assistant coach Louie Alas, hit five straight points, including a trey from right wing, to spark a 12-0 bomb. JC Intal, recently married, broke the spell but the Tropang Texters wound up with a six-point salvo to break the game wide open.
Ganuelas finished with a conference-best 19 points on an 8 of 10 field goal shooting while Alas, who drained thee triples, added 14, along with Jayson Castro.
“There’s this mentality ng players na minsan eh nagre-relax,” said Uichico. “Medyo mababa lang yung energy nung first quarter, but they were able to pick it up in the second period.”
Their 2-3 zone played a big role in the breakaway.
Uichico brushed off speculations that they’ve been using a lot of the defense lately for a special reason.
“Our defense depends kung ano yung kalaban namin,” he said. “We’re in the zone most of the time because we thought Barako will have a harder time against that defense.”
A bittersweet marquee matchup against Barangay Ginebra looms in the horizon for Uichico, tempering his satisfaction over their fifth straight win from the eliminations.
“That’s still another game we have to think about,” said Uichico, who steered Barangay Ginebra to two championships in 2007 and 2008 before leaving San Miguel Corporation in 2012 and moving over to the MVP Group.
Barako Bull clearly missed the services of 6-foot-9 shooter and banger Mick Pennisi, who was traded to Purefoods before the playoffs. It’s not likely though that Pennisi would have made a dent big enough to bother the Hotshots, who razed the Energy, 122-106, in Binan, Laguna last month. (WJRHT)
The scores:
TALK N’ TEXT 105 – Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Alas 14, Castro 14, Fonacier 11, Reyes R.J. 10, Washington 9, De Ocampo 7, Seigle 5, Aban 5, Carey 4, Reyes R. 3, Williams 2, Espiritu 2, Alapag 0.
BARAKO BULL 76 – Intal 16, Wilson 15, Miranda 9, Paredes 8, Marcelo 7, Lanete 7, Garcia 4, Salvador 4, Lastimosa 4, Matias 2, Holstein 0, Pena 0, Hubalde 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 23-19, 47-32, 76-52, 105-76
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