TNT gains share of second, bolsters outright semis bid

TALK ‘N Text’s newest player – Ranidel de Ocampo – didn’t exactly put up the usual big numbers across his name. It didn’t matter. What came as a surprise was how the Tropang Texters dealt Brgy Ginebra a loss practically no one saw coming.

Talk ‘N Text not only beat the crowd favorites, but massacred the Kings 109-85 to boost its bid for an outright semifinals berth in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Mac-Mac Cardona shot 8-of-14 from the field including 3-of-3 from the three-point area and finished with 21 points, and four other Tropang Texters submitted outputs in double figures as Talk ‘N Text tied Rain or Shine at second spot with their identical 10-7 win-loss records, half a game behind Alaska’s 10-6.

“It’s nice to be on the other side of a game like that,” said Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes. “It was the opposite end when we played against Alaska. But what can I say, we have to put this game behind us and focus on Air21.”

Talk 'N Text, which had lost to the Aces 113-86 last November 22, will have the Express for its last game on Christmas Day.

The game was practically over by the end of the first quarter, when Talk ‘N Text exploded for 35 points and held Barangay Ginebra to only 22.7 percent shooting from the field (5-of-22). The Kings also committed six turnovers in the same stretch.

There was nothing really Barangay Ginebra could do from that point, and Talk ‘N Text widened the gap to its biggest at 36 points when Jason Castro beat the buzzer ending the third quarter for an 86-50 lead.

The off-form Kings absorbed its eighth setback with the same number of wins, virtually putting their hopes the making the semifinals outright dim and of making the quarterfinals outright in grave danger.

For a Wednesday game, the gate attendance proved to be more than satisfying as the crowd came to witness how Ranidel De Ocampo, acquired by Talk ‘N Text Tuesday in exchange for Don Allado and a first-round pick in 2012, would gel with a team already considered with loads of talent.

De Ocampo, who was reunited with brother Yancy, finished with eight points – five less than his average – and pulled down nine rebounds in 21 minutes.

But it was not the numbers that counted. His presence alone, according to Reyes himself, invigorated the rest of the players.

“The players were energized with De Ocampo coming in,” said Reyes. “We now have a couple of days to work on Ranidel. It’s just exciting for us to have a player of his caliber.

“Our task now is to keep sharp. It’s now up to us. I defintely do not like our position. There’s a lot of complications.”

Now, Reyes & Co. are looking forward to Air21, their last opponent before they realize whether they could make it to the Final Four outright or not.

Barangay Ginebra, already without Mark Caguioa the entire conference, also played without the one-again-injured Junthy Valenzuela, and his absence pretty much hurt the offensive game plan of the Kings, who were coming off fresh from an 84-82 win over league-leading Alaska in Cagayan de Oro City last Saturday.

Billy Mamaril led the Kings with 17 points and Sunday Salvacion added 12 in the loss which spoiled his 30th birthday.

Making things worse for Barangay Ginebra was Ronald Tubid who was checked all game long and merely ended up with three points on 1-of-4 shooting from three-point country and didn’t make an attempt from the two-point field. (ZM)

The scores:

Barangay Ginebra 109 - Cardona 21, Alapag 17, Dillinger 17 Castro 15, Ritualo 12, Castro 12, De Ocampo R. 8, Peek 8, De Ocampo Y. 7, Escobal 5, Aljamal 2, Carey 2, Reyes 0.

Talk ‘N Text 85 - Mamaril 17, Salvacion 12, Cabatu 11, Crisano 11, Helterbrand 8, Artadi 7, Escalona 6, Wilson 4, Tubid 3, Pacana 2, Menk 2, Reavis 2.

Quarterscores: 35-12, 64-30, 86-50, 109-85.


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