At this stage of the PBA Philippine Cup, the goal for Talk 'N Text coach Norman Black is simple enough:

“The whole idea is to keep pace with the two leading teams,” Black said Tuesday night, moments after his defending champion Tropang Texters grinded out a 90-87 victory over Rain or Shine for solo third place at the Araneta Coliseum.

Talk 'N Text blew a 21-point first half lead and trailed for the only time, 82-83 with over three minutes to play, needing to dig deeper from there to bounce back from a sorry loss to second-placer Barangay Ginebra and rise to 4-2 overall.

“It was tough coming off a loss like that and needing to wait nine days to play again. I would have liked playing (immediately) after that,” Black said. “But we hope to build on this and stay with the leaders for a twice-to-beat privilege.”

Ranidel de Ocampo scored 20 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 1:01 left that broke the game’s last tie at 86 as the Tropang Texters averted what would have been another foldup similar to the one they suffered against the Gin Kings.

Rain or Shine thus dropped into a fourth place tie with idle Globalport at 4-3, and it was not after the Elasto Painters blew several chances to turn the game around or at least forge extension.

Having possession with 7.2 seconds remaining, the Painters weren’t even able to throw up an attempt as Kelly Williams, the comebacking former MVP, tied up Jeff Chan and stole the ball from the Rain or Shine gunner, enabling Larry Fonacier to dribble the time away.

“I thought we played great defense in the first half,” Black answered when asked why they had such a huge lead early. “But we played a terrible third quarter.”

The Painters dropped 31 points in the third period and came roaring back, entering the final frame just six points behind after the Texters had closed out the first half sitting on a 49-35 bubble.

Gabe Norwood then lifted the Painters’ spirits in the fourth, shooting 10 of his 13 points, before a Jervy Cruz jumper with 3:20 remaining gave Rain or Shine its only taste of the lead, 83-82.

But the composure and experience of the Texters came to fore in the stretch, engaging the Painters in a mano-a-mano duel before prevailing in the end.

Meanwhile, San Mig Coffee also walked the tightrope before taking a 90-88 decision of Barako Bull earlier to snap a two-game skid and improve to 2-5, the same record of the Energy.

In a related development, Kerby Raymundo, a many-time all-star and Mythical Team member, is seriously considering hanging up his sneakers after a 12-year career because of a knee injury that simply won’t heal.

The 6-foot-5 former Letran ace who started his career with Purefoods in 2001, has been in and out of action for most of the last two years and was, before the start of the season, traded by Barangay Ginebra to Meralco for Jay-R Reyes.

Raymundo, as Arabnews had learned from agent Danny Espiritu, is seriously mulling retirement after his contract with Meralco that expired last Oct. 31 was not renewed.

Espiritu said that after extensive tests and treatment in the United States for an injury that is similar to the one that almost ended Grant Hill’s career prematurely, Raymundo would need an operation that would cost around P4.5 million for him to be able to get back to action.

But the 32-year-old is thinking twice about coughing up that amount, since there are no guarantees that he could sign up with another team after the procedure.

“He’s thinking ‘do I need to spend that money for the surgery or should I just put that money in business and quit playing?’” Espiritu told a select group of scribes late Monday night during the PBA Press Corps Christmas party.

“The doctor gave him two options – the P4.5-million surgery or a band-aid remedy worth P100,000. The doctor said the temporary remedy, which is to be injected on the injured knee, has its risks,” said Espiritu.

“Kerby chose the temporary remedy – getting the shot on Nov. 14. But early this month, he started running and jumping, and, sadly, he again felt pain and again there’s swelling in his knee,” Espiritu added.