EYE ON THE TOP 4
Talk n Text and Meralco both try to improve their record in the middle of the team standings when they face off in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Tuesday night.
The Tropang Texters are a rung up at joint fifth place with the Kia Carnival at 3-2 but the Bolts (3-3) enjoy some momentum and morale boost coming from an 87-72 rout of the Blackwater Elite Friday.
The two teams are capable of beating one another as evidenced by the results of their matches in the previous conferences. Talk n Text whipped Meralco, 89-72, in their Philippine Cup tiff, and then the Bolts got even with a 91-83 triumph in the Commissioner’s Cup.
TNT, however, could well be the odds-on pick with a deeper bench reinforced by solid imports Steffphon Pettigrew and San Daghles.
“Talk n Text is such a high quality team that we will have to bring our A game to the court to get a win,” said coach Norman Black who is well familiar with the team that he used to handle.
“Our ability to defend the post and challenge their three-point shots will be the keys,” Black also said.
The GlobalPort Batang Pier, with huge import Jarrid Famous, beat Talk n Text on those departments leading to a 123-120 win in an exciting high-scoring match Friday.
Before that setback, the Texters got past the Alaska Aces (104-103) and the NLEX Road Warriors (108-89) on the return of Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro.
With similar hopes to stay in the race for the Top Four, the Texters and the Bolts are likely to figure in a slam-bang battle.
“It’s an important game for both teams, an opportunity to move up in the standings and stay out of the bottom four,” said Black.
Tournament format calls for the 12 teams to play a single-round-robin elimination phase with only the top eight advancing to the playoffs. The top four enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
The Bolts clung onto a spot in the middle of the chart with their conquest of the Elite the last time out.
Gary David, Sean Anthony and Jared Dillinger provided the needed scoring help with import Andre Emmett struggling for a woeful 5-of-18 clip and a personal PBA low of 17 points as Meralco warded off Blackwater.
The three Meralco locals, Emmett and Japanese recruit Seiya Ando scored at least 10 points each with trade acquisition Kelly Nabong contributing eight markers, six rebounds and two steals as they sent the Elite crushing deeper down the cellar with a 1-5 win-loss mark. (SB)
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