TEXTERS GO FOR JUGULAR

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The title playoff remains a powder keg, but the Talk n Text Tropang Texters want to stay focused as they try to deliver the killer blow on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

With victories in the last two games for a 3-2 lead, the Texters are now the logical picks to win the series and reclaim the second conference crown they won in 2012.

The Texters try to wrap up the best-of-seven title playoff in six games as they are very much aware of the danger of playing a winner-take-all Game Seven.

For coach Jong Uichico, the key is sustaining the effort they put in the last time.

For coach Yeng Guiao, the goal is to turn around from their poor job in Game Five.

Ivan Johnson, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro formed a deadly three-pronged attack as Talk n Text regained the upper hand in the series following a 103-94 triumph Friday.

“Hindi pa tapos. Alam natin kailangang apat na panalo at alam natin na laging todo laro ang Rain or Shine. Kung ano ang attitude namin ngayon, dapat ganon pa rin sa Sunday,” said TNT coach Jong Uichico.

“We don’t want the momentum to shift back to Rain or Shine. Dapat i-control pa rin namin ang dapat i-control especially our attitude towards the game,” Uichico added.

Needless to say, Uichico wants his guys to shy away from extra-curricular activities.

Guiao is also egging his players to focus on the game and exert energy and intensity that was missing in their game Friday.

Guiao is hopeful of forcing a sudden death but says they must play defense.

“It would be nice to see a Game Seven. We’ll try to win one and force a Game Seven, and we cannot do that if we don’t play defense,” Guiao said.

“We just want to win one more game and if we succeed, all bets are off,” Guiao added. “When Game Seven is there, it’s a tossup. I’m just hoping that we bring our defensive energy (in Game Six).”

Guiao said the story of Game Five was effort, with his team coming out with a lot less.

“We really did not put out the kind of defensive effort that we wanted and we needed. We were always half a step slow, one full step behind. There just was no aggressiveness on defense, (and that’s) one reason why we got burned down by Ranidel (de Ocampo), (Jayson) Castro, and the import (Ivan Johnson),” Guiao said.

“They’re really a good offensive team that anytime you put your guard down on defense, they’re going to take advantage. That’s what happened (in Game Five), and we’ll see if we can fix that,” Guiao added.

De Ocampo sustained his red-hot shooting, Johnson contributed as much while Castro turned to be more of a facilitator as Talk n Text made it two in a row over Rain or Shine and inched closer to a seventh PBA crown.

“They just shot the ball well. I thought there were certain occasions that the effort was there. We were challenging their shots, but they were still making them,” Guiao said.

Even then, Guiao said they must not be discouraged and just continue defending.

“It’s just being in the game mentally. Even if they’re making their shots which are challenged, the next play, you still have to keep on challenging,” Guiao pointed out.

At least, Rain or Shine will have an extra body to put on Johnson with the return of JR Quinahan from a one-game suspension.

Jeff Chan’s status remains day-to-day due to his foot injury. (SB)

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