He was proven right just two nights after saying that.

The Llamados came charging back from 18 points down in the first half Friday night to nip the Beermen, 95-94, and square their best-of-seven Final Four series at 1-1 before a huge Araneta Coliseum crowd.

Tony Washam, after being shut down in the series opener and being held to 12 first half points Friday night, erupted for 21 in the final two periods, including the game-winning three-point play with 7.9 seconds remaining.

Washam, a second generation PBA import, also foiled the potential game-winning play by San Miguel when he stole the ball off a low-posting Danny Seigle as the Llamados now grabbed momentum heading into the crucial third game Sunday.

“We’re alive again,” Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio told reporters. “We just didn’t give up and sometimes, when you just keep on fighting, you get rewarded. Tonight was a classic case of us playing with all our hearts.” That was precisely what Tanquingcen said Wednesday night after ripping the Llamados apart in a Game 1 victory that underscored his squad’s apparent advantage in manpower.

James Yap joined hands with Washam offensively in reviving Derby Ace in the second half, and Rafi Reavis – almost by himself – established a solid rebounding presence underneath.

Washam knotted the count for the first time in the second half at 89 with a short stab with 2:25 remaining, making for a see-saw game from there until Alex Cabagnot hit one of two free throws off a duty foul by Roger Yap for 94-92 with 18.6 seconds to go.

But Washam took over in the final Derby Ace offensive as he canned a double-pumping layup while fishing San Miguel import Gabriel Freeman’s final foul for a three-point play with 7.9 seconds remaining.

San Miguel still had a chance to win it, though.

Coming off a timeout, Seigle got a perfect feed inside the lane from Dondon Hontiveros but lost the ball to Washam while he was trying to spin to the left side in an effort to lose defender Marc Pingris.

“I think I was just patient today,” Washam said afterwards. “They (Beermen) did a good job on us in the first game and I kind of forced matters then.” Arwind Santos led the Beermen with 19 points with Freeman adding 18.

James Yap finished with 18 markers and Don Allado 15 coming off the bench for the Llamados, who trailed by 12 at the end of the first half but pruned that down to just five heading into the fourth period.

Powerhouse Talk ‘N  Text also evened its series with Alaska at 1-1, using a great third quarter effort to post a 100-94 decision of the Aces in the first game.

Jimmy Alapag, after being held scoreless in the first half, hit 25 in the second, 12 of them in the critical third period as the Tropang Texters, after dropping Game 1, 88-104, also wrested momentum in their own series heading into their third game.

“In Game One, LA (Tenorio) manhandled our guards. So I challenged Jimmy and Jason (Castro) that it should not happen again,” said Texters coach Chot Reyes.

After being held to just six points in Game 1, the first half didn’t suggest that Alapag was having a better game.

Entering the third period of Game 2, Alapag shot 2-of-12 from the field.

But the wily 5-foot-8 point guard dug deep and finished with an 8-of-14 clip from the floor as Talk ‘N Text survived the absence of top local scorer, Mac-Mac Cardona.

Cardona, who had 17 points in the Game 1 loss, married long-time girlfriend Clarissa Francisco Fridayn Marc Pingris gets doubled at the paint by Arwind Santos and Jay Washington.

“We knew Mac wouldn’t play,” said Reyes. “That was something we had to be ready for. We couldn’t use that as an excuse, and it was important that Jason stepped in.” Castro finished with 17 points including a crucial lay-up with 1:55 left to play.

Ranidel de Ocampo contributed 13 points, while Ryan Reyes and import Shawn Daniels each added 11 points for the Texters.