Game Tomorrow: (Araneta Coliseum)

6:45 p.m. -- Talk ‘N Text vs. Powerade


THE result wasn’t a rout this time. But just the same, the franchise with the championship experience pulled through once more.

Talk ‘N Text fended off a spirited stance by Powerade down the stretch by coming through with the big shots, rolling to a 102-96 victory for a 2-0 lead in the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven Finals series last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Jimmy Alapag hit a booming three-point shot, Larry Fonacier recovered a loose ball to score on an open lay-up, and Ryan Reyes completed a steal for two points as the Tropang Texters cut loose from a tight 94-93 bind to move halfway to becoming the first ball club to repeat as all-Filipino champions since Great Taste in 1985.

Alapag finished with 23 points, Jayson Castro followed up a 23-point effort in Game One with 19, while Fonacier contributed 13 for Talk ‘N Text, which blasted Powerade 31-13 in rebounds in the second half. Overall, the Texters had a 56-42 advantage in the department.

“We’ve seen this (2-0 lead) so many times,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes. “We still need to get two more. All we’ve done is move a step closer to our ultimate objective. We can’t relax, we can’t take our foot off the pedal because we’re expecting the mightiest fight-back from Powerade in Game Three.”

No team in the history of the league has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit, and the Texters will shoot for that edge tomorrow.

Gary David scored 30 points and JV Casio, returning after missing the series opener because of a hamstring injury, had 17 points.

Sean Anthony, though, was the one missing. He only had two points on 1-of-9 shooting.

Despite shooting just 34.8 percent (16-of-46) from the field in the first half, the Tigers kept the game close. They were down by only 56-51 at the break, but led at one stretch at 45-39 after unloading a 15-2.

The area Powerade was special, though, was at the free-throw line. The Tigers shot 14-of-15 at the charity line, with David, who had 21 first-half points, converting all of his 10 attempts.

Alapag went 5-of-7 from the field to score 16 points in the first half.

Meantime, the PBA Board of Governors will tackle tomorrow whether to allow naturalized player Marcus Douthit to suit up as import in the Commissioner’s Cup that kicks off on Feb. 10.

In an email sent to the PBA last Jan. 19, Douthit expressed his desire to play as a reinforcement in the league’s second conference. He, however, will not be available until after Feb. 15 since he is still playing in China.

Douthit was given until Jan. 20 to make a decision over the issue since at least five teams before – Talk ‘N Text, Meralco, Barako Bull, Air21 (formerly Shopinas.com) and B-Meg — had expressed intentions to hire his services.

Douthit, though, may end up as a mere standby import by the time he returns to Manila.

All teams, except for Air21, have already named their reinforcements.


The scores:

Talk N’ Text (102)  -- Alapag 23, Castro 19, Fonacier 13, Peek 10, Carey 9, Williams 8, Reyes 7, De Ocampo 7, Dillinger 4, Gamalinda 2, Aguilar 0.

Powerade (96) -- David 30, Casio 17, Lassiter 15, Kramer 14, Adducul 9, Vanlandingham 4, Cruz 3, Anthony 2, Antonio 2, Allera 0, Crisano 0.

Quarterscores: 31-25, 56-51, 80-73, 102-96.