Talk ‘N Text got Meralco to play a game to its liking and made the Bolts pay dearly for it.
The Tropang Texters won out in an old-fashioned shootout with what was the top offensive team in the PBA Philippine Cup Friday night, ripping the Bolts, 109-98, behind a strong fourth quarter, to stay in the lead at the Ynares Center here.
Shifty guard Jason Castro scored 23 points and Kelly Williams churned out his best offensive game of the young season and finished with 19 as the defending champion Texters improved their league-leading slate to 8-2.
So sharp were the Texters that four others finished in twin digits for coach Norman Black, who also got his wards to play hard-nosed defense that shut down one of Meralco’s premier guns, Mac Cardona.
Cardona was held to just four points for the night and couldn’t help the Bolts lose for the fourth time in nine outings.
“It’s a big win for us because coming in, we knew that we were playing the top offensive team in the league,” Black told reporters. “This was probably our best game of the year (on both ends).
“Obviously, we’re aiming for one of the top two slots (after the elimination round),” Black continued. “That’s our goal right now.” San Mig Coffee stayed in second spot, just half-a-game behind the Texters, after pummeling Barako Bull from late in the third quarter on for a 93-73 decision earlier.
The Mixers won for the fifth straight time and are slowly rounding out to top form, their streak now just one shy of the tournament’s longest which the Texters also own.
Interestingly enough, both squad face off next week, and in all probability, that game could go down as the one which, could decide the elimination round winner.
“San Mig is on our heels and we need to get as many wins as we could,” Black explained. “This game is a good confidence booster for us going into our match with San Mig.” Finishing in the top two carries a lot of weight in the playoffs, as both will draw the two lightest teams in the quarterfinals and would need to win only once to make it to the Final Four.
With only six squads going past the elimination round, team Nos. 3 and 4 will figure in a best-of-three series with Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, with the winners advancing to the semifinals.
Peter June Simon came off the bench and presided upon a whirlwind third quarter windup for the Mixers, who dropped 11 unanswered points that opened up a 67-57 lead going into the fourth.
San Mig also scored the first basket of the fourth period for a 12-point lead, and the best that the Energy could do was come within six only for JC Intal and James Yap two hit consecutive triples that knocked the wind out of Barako Bull’s sail.
It was a bitter debut for new Barako Bull coach Bong Ramos, who replaced the fired Junel Baculi last Tuesday. The Energy dropped to 3-7 and would need to win games in a string to have a strong chance of making the playoffs.
Talk ‘N Text rips apart Bolts in Philippine Cup
