JUST A WIN AWAY

Texters very near crown

By Rocky Nazareno

01/26/2012

Game Tomorrow

(Araneta Coliseum)

6:45 p.m. – Talk ‘N Text vs. Powerade

Even after Powerade pulled off the near improbable in regulation, Talk ‘N Text refused to be rattled and completely outclassed the Tigers in extra period en route to a 133-126 victory last night that put the Tropang Texters on the fringes of a third title in four straight conferences with a nearly-insurmountable 3-0 lead in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jason Castro scored on a drive and Ranidel de Ocampo knocked in a three-pointer — all in the first 43 seconds of overtime — that shattered a 121-all regulation count and all but shifted momentum in favor of the defending champions who proved unshaken even after the Tigers erased a three-point deficit in the last 3.1 seconds of regulation to force those extra five minutes.

And the Tropang Texters will be coming into Game 4 of with a 3-0 lead, and a huge advantage in a best-of-seven series never before overcome in the PBA.

But Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes was still a picture of caution than of celebration when he faced sportswriters after the game.

“(The Tigers) played their hearts out. That’s always dangerous when they have nothing to lose. We know how Powerade feels and plays right now. That’s what happened in the semi-finals to us,” he said, calling to mind their struggle from a 1-3 deficit in their series against Petron Blaze before winning three straight to barge into the Finals.

“Like I said, we just have to keep our focus on the next game. Nothing else, just on the next game,” Reyes added.

It was nevertheless a disheartening loss for the Tigers, clearly the underdogs against the dynastic Talk ‘N Text franchise, after they seized control of the game in the last period with a barrage of three-pointers from Sean Anthony, Marcio Lassiter and Celino Cruz to post a nine-point 106-97 lead, going into the last five minutes of the game.

But De Ocampo exploited Powerade’s early penalty trouble and crashed the boards to gain his points from the free throw line, going 7-for-7 while hitting on two field goals to lead the Tropang Texters’ 22-10 wind-up that gave them a 119-116 cushion, with only 19.8 seconds.

Kelly Williams will give them more breathing room when he stole off Gary David in Powerade’s ensuing offensive for a fastbreak layup and a 121-116 advantage.

Doug Kramer scored unmolested under the basket to put Powerade to within 118-121, giving the Tropang Texters all of just 3.3 seconds to waste to bag the win.

But a pressing Powerade defense had De Ocampo issuing a bad pass to Larry Fonacier at midcourt, sending Casio to just pick up the ball two feet from the three-point line and unloading that game-tying triple that left everybody in the Cubao arena with mouth agape at what had just transpired.

But all that bravado at regulation would burst in overtime for the Tigers as they gambled and lost on attempting from the three-point area with David and Casio muffing two attempts each.

The Tropang Texters, showing the stern poise of a near-Grand Slam titlist last season, chalked up the needed points from Castro and De Ocampo like the game was just starting in the first quarter and Ali Peek added another two free throws for good measure that all but put the game beyond recall at 128-121, with 2:37 left.

The Tigers’ first basket came in the form of a drive by Casio (123-128), with 2:17 remaining, but the Tropang Texters merely traded free throws with them in the closing minutes for that final 133-126 count.

In the end, it was the Tropang Texters’ overwhelming firepower that did the Tigers in. Fonacier finished with 25 points and De Ocampo 21 but there were five other Tropang Texters who would score between 10 and 19 points that all but underscored this decisive edge by Talk ‘N Text.

Powerade drew David’s best output so far in the Finals with 36 points and also had Lassiter and Sean Anthony adding 25 points apiece. But only Casio and Kramer could contribute considerably after that with 18 and 14 points, respectively.