San Miguel vs Rain or Shine as 4 teams make final dash for semis spots
Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Determined to make a big push in the homestretch of the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup elimination round, Talk n Text acquired on Tuesday Ranidel de Ocampo from Air21 in exchange for Don Allado and a future draft pick.

De Ocampo, a former St. Francis of Assisi mainstay who has just turned 27 on Dec. 8, suits up with the Tropang Texters as they take on the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their penultimate game in the double-round elims Wednesday.
The 6-foot-6 RP team hopeful has moved over to the Smart/PLDT franchise bringing with him his impressive averages of 13.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 16 games with the Express.

De Ocampo has churned out nine double-double games – a league-best number he shares with Sta. Lucia's Kelly Williams, San Miguel's Jay Washington and Purefoods' Enrico Villanueva.

"Losing Ranidel is like losing a foundation. He blossomed with the team. A double-double performer with an A-1 attitude, he's the ultimate coach's player," said Air21 coach Bo Perasol.

Allado, a veteran center, norms 5.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Going with Allado in his transfer to Air21 is Talk n Text's first round pick in 2012.

Four of six teams remaining in the hunt for an outright semifinal berth actually figure in a big rumble at the Big Dome Wednesday.

San Miguel Beer clashes with Rain or Shine at 5 p.m. before Talk n Text slugs it out with Ginebra at 7:30 p.m. with each one out to boost its bid for a Top Two finish at the end of the double-round elimination phase on Christmas Day.

The race for the two outright seats in the semis tightened up after Alaska lost its last two games to Red Bull and Barangay Ginebra.

The Aces remain in the lead with a 10-6 win-loss card but the Tropang Texters, the Beermen and the Elasto Painters are now close behind at 9-7. The Sta. Lucia Realtors and the Kings are also breathing down the Aces' neck at 9-8 and 8-7, respectively.

"The entry of Ranidel makes Talk n Text a tougher team. We'll be having a tougher time against them," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico of their game against Talk n Text.

The Tropang Texters had been on a four-game romp before being stopped on their tracks by the Purefoods Giants Sunday. The Kings, meanwhile, got back in the thick of the fight for the Top Two in winning five of their last six games.

San Miguel and Rain or Shine are wary of one another.

“We have to come into the game with a defensive mind-set and make sure we don’t give up hustle points," said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“This is another big game for us. Mahirap kalaban ang San Miguel and I just hope we continue to play with passion and unselfishly," said Rain or Shine’s Caloy Garcia.

The Beermen and the Elasto Painters are both coming off losses with the former stunned by an Asi Taulava-less Coca-Cola side, 91-105, Friday and the latter whipped by the Tropang Texters, 83-92, Wednesday. (NC)


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