But this franchise hasn’t lost back-to-back games since January, and the Tropang Texters would like it very much to protect that string.
Import Scottie Reynolds exploded for a season-best nine three-point shots and finished with an output that exceeded his production in his first two games combined, lifting Talk ‘N Text to a mighty 101-89 victory over B-Meg and claiming a big step toward the first championship berth in the PBA Governors’ Cup Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Reynolds, the second all-time leading scorer of Villanova University, scattered 37 points behind a sensational 62 percent shooting clip from the floor, carrying the fight for a Talk ‘N Text team that now only needs one more win to make a third straight Finals appearance and complete a season sweep of the championships accomplished last by Alaska in 1996.
“I was just trying to help the team win,” said Reynolds. “This team’s got a lot of talent, but tonight that’s what we need, for me to contribute.” Reynolds sparkled at a time when Talk ‘N Text perhaps was wondering how could it set aside the crushing 96-81 defeat it suffered against Rain or Shine Wednesday night, the game where it shot its second-lowest field-goal clip (30.4 percent) under coach Chot Reyes and was held to its lowest output this season.
But the Texters have shown that they could bounce back strong. The only time the franchise lost two straight games was in Games Three and Four of the Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beer last January.
And so, Talk ‘N Text was far from the form it displayed against the Painters. The Texters led by as large as 18 points (59-41), and then banked on their import to bail them out of impending danger.
After the Llamados slashed the commanding deficit to within 78-74 after a basket by Marc Pingris with 9:42 remaining in the third period, Reynolds scored six straight unanswered points. He also drained a triple two minutes later to make it a 91-78 ball game, and the rest of the Texters took it from there to protect the advantage the rest of the way.
“I think the good thing about this game was that we put out a decent defensive effort,” said Reyes. “We contained James Yap, although he got loose in the third, but we’ll take that as long as he doesn’t explode game-round.” Yap still ended up with 18 points but only shot 5-of-16 from the field, and Pingris had 15 points and eight rebounds. For the second straight game, PJ Simon failed to hit in double figures, held to only eight points.
“We learned our lessons from the last game,” Reyes said. “Before the game, we had nothing on our board, it’s just putting out the effort.” Talk ‘N Text can clinch the first Finals berth with a victory against Ginebra tomorrow.
With their sixth defeat in 11 matches, the Llamados have now been eliminated in the chase for the championship berth. B-Meg also suffered its second loss in the semi-finals.
Surprisingly, Talk ‘N Text triumphed even though it shot under 40 percent from the floor. The Texters only converted 37 of their 94 attempts (39.4 percent), and had less rebounds, 53-47.
The key part the Texters pounded on was their shooting touch from three-point range, connecting on 12. B-Meg merely hit three out of 13 tries.
Ginebra as well took a big leap into clinching a Finals slot, hanging tough this time against Alaska to eke out an 81-77 victory, its seventh in 11 matches.
Mark Caguioa had 26 points including 11 straight in the fourth quarter, and import Donald Sloan added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Kings grabbed solo second spot and also booted the Aces out from the four-of-five incentive with their second defeat in the semifinals and fifth overall as against six wins.
“It’s good we were able to bounce back from that big letdown,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. “We really had to find ways and gather ourselves together and win tonight’s game. Now, we’re in the thick of the fight.” The Kings could have gotten a slice of the lead with the Texters had they remained focused in Wednesday’s game against Petron. But they did not, and the result was the loss of a 28-point lead (63-35) that led to a 96-88 overtime setback.
This time, the Kings were too tough to crack.
Caguioa kept Ginebra afloat in the fourth quarter, and his lone assist came late in the game, a perfect feed to a cutting Billy Mamaril that turned into a crucial basket as the Kings took an 80-73 advantage with 1:52 left to play in the contest.
Sonny Thoss scored 24 points and snatched 10 rebounds, while LA Tenorio added 16 points. Jason Forte collected 14 points and 11 rebounds for Alaska, which beat Petron on July 24, 88-81.
