TALK ‘N TEXT NEARS ELIMS SWEEP
Talk ‘N Text stayed perfect even with import Richard Howell taking a bad fall and rushed to the hospital at the half against Rain or Shine.
The TNT locals gallantly held the fort, making a crucial recovery in the third quarter as the Tropang Texters overcame the Elasto Painters, 85-82, for win No. 8 in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
Temporarily shaken on Howell’s exit late in the second quarter, the Tropang Texters recovered in time and went a win shy of completing a nine-game sweep of the elimination round.
Larry Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro hit from afar while Kelly Williams made highlight aerial moves as the Texters went roaring in the third quarter and established a 70-54 lead going into the final canto.
Talk ‘N Text, which won the Commissioner’s Cup three seasons ago, then hardly wavered facing a series of RoS fightbacks in the fourth period, going on to deal the Elasto Painters a fourth loss against three wins.
Not helping Rain or Shine was import Wayne Chism fumbling crucial rebounds at endgame.
Minus head coach Yeng Guiao who’s on a trip abroad, Rain of Shine dropped to joint fifth with Air21, Meralco and Barangay Ginebra.
Howell missed the run and the fun as he was rushed to Makati Med at the half after a bad fall following a contact with Paul Lee. He was to be checked for a possible shoulder injury.
“I’m very glad we’re able to survive. It turned out to be very physical, very rugged. We needed guts to be able to win this game,” said Talk n Text head coach Norman Black.
“I’m not sure about our import. He’s to undergo an MRI test,” Black also said. “I’m happy for the locals. They came up very hard. They played hard. They didn’t give up.”
The Tropang Texters enjoyed an early 13-point spread and were still in control, 34-27, when he hit the floor hard after a contact with Lee.
With Howell already being checked in their locker room, the Elasto Painters came through with a 10-to-nothing run, surging ahead, 37-36, at the turn.
The Texters, however, won’t flinch in a battle, unraveling a key run in the third to regain control and subsequently pull off the sweet win.
KG Canaleta, who figured in couples of hard collisions with Chism in the second quarter, led all scorers with 19 points with Williams, Danny Seigle and Fonacier adding 13, 12 and 11, respectively.
The E-Painters actually had several chances to salvage the game but missed crucial shots and as crucial rebounds in the closing seconds.
All alone, Chism couldn’t handle the rebound following missed charities by Jimmy Alapag with 10.1 seconds to go and RoS trailing by just two at 82-84.
At the buzzer, Beau Belga misfired a potential game-tying three-pointer. (SB)
The scores: (Click HERE for full boxscores)
TALK N’ TEXT 85 – Canaleta 19, Williams 13, Seigle 12, Fonacier 11, Castro 8, De Ocampo 7, Carey 5, Alapag 5, Reyes 3, Howell 2, Reyes 0, Baclao 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 82 – Chism 18, Belga 12, Lee 11, Tiu 8, Chan 7, Arana 6, Almazan 5, Norwood 5, Cruz 4, Rodriguez 4, Tang 2, Uyloan 0, Nuyles 0, Teng 0.
Quarterscores: 21-14, 36-37, 70-54, 85
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