MANILA: For a team teeming with so much offensive power, winning games because of a brilliant effort on the other end certainly is welcome news.
Talk N’ Text was its usual deadly self offensively and then added another dimension to its game by being sharp on the defensive end last night to snap Alaska’s four-game PBA Philippine Cup run after a 91-83 victory at the Ynares Center.
Mac Cardona scored 24 points and rookie point guard Jared Dillinger chipped in with 18 as baskets came from almost all angles for the Tropang Texters, who ended a two-game slide to improve to 3-2.
Alaska, meanwhile, dropped into a share of the lead with idle streaking San Miguel at 4-1, with the Beermen having a solid shot at wresting the solo pace today when they battle Red Bull in a road game at the Arturo Lugod gym in Gingoog, Misamis Oriental.
Sta. Lucia, which came into the game as one of the tournament’s hottest teams, failed to join the Beermen and the Aces on top after falling, in lopsided manner at that, to the athletic Air21 Express in the second game.
The Express opened up with all guns cocked and firing and sustained the pace all night to deal the defending champion Realtors a sound beating 107-83 and rise to 2-3.
Arwind Santos scored 21 points, Gary David 20 and JR Quinahan 14 to pace the Expess, who opened up with two straight losses and have now assembled their first winning streak in the tournament.
Kelly Williams shot 24 points to pace the Realtors, who closed out the third period behind by 22 and were never in the game the rest of the way.
Sta. Lucia, which trailed by as many as 28 points late in the third period, dropped to 3-2, now tied with the Texters and idle Rain or Shine, which snapped a similar two-game slide Saturday night with a tightrope 88-84 overtime victory over Purefoods.
The Elasto Painters got five straight points inside the final minute from third-string guard Rob Dulay at the Olivares Center in Paranaque, as the Painters showed their character in a close game and got back in the groove.
Purefoods, tipped as one of the favorites here, took its fourth straight loss, the longest in the season-opening tourney, to be tied for last spot with the Coca-Cola Tigers.
“We came into a tough stretch of three tough games — against Sta. Lucia, San Miguel and Alaska ,” Talk N’ Text coach Chot Reyes told reporters later. “I’m just glad that we were able to pull off a ‘W’ (and snap our losing streak). “We are really a team not known much for defense, because of our offensive potential,” the former national coach added. “But we have to balance it. While we’re concentrating on playing tough defense, we have to maintain our offensive arsenal.”
Ali Peek came out of injured bay and capped a 16-point effort with a tip-in of a Cardona miss for 91-80 with two minutes left, and it proved to be icing on the cake for the Texters.
Alaska got 29 points from former two-time MVP Willie Miller, but the Aces were without head coach Tim Cone for the final seven minutes after he was ejected because of two technicals for continuously arguing with game officials.
Cardona made one of two free throws and gave the Texters an 81-71 lead, marking the first time in five games that Alaska gave up more than 80 points to an opponent. Joe Devance added 16 points for Alaska, and LA Tenorio added 10, but after them, the others whom Cone had depended on to score in the past were held to practically harmless numbers with Sonny Thoss and Tony dela Cruz combining for just six.
