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| Ali Peek gets clobbered by JR Quiñahan as the Texters defeat Rain or Shine. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS over RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS, 107-98
TNT came up with a splendid second half to stop Rain or Shine’s winning run and grab a share of the lead in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Harvey Carey, Ryan Reyes and Jayson Castro alternately took the lead for the Tropang Texters in the last two periods that had them unleashing one mini-run after another to fully quash the Elasto Painters’ challenge.
By the time the smoke caused by TNT’s final surge cleared, it was irrevocably ahead, 99-85, and it went on to cruise to its second win in as many games that drew it alongside idle leader Petron Blaze. The main reason was Carey exploding for a game-high 28 points, just two shy of his career-best. The burly forward also pulled down 14 rebounds, with eight off the offensive boards. Ryan Reyes wound up with 19 points, while Castro added 18, anchored on 4-of-5 three-point shooting, and also dished off 10 assists.
Larry Fonacier scored 13 points and Jared Dillinger led the Talk 'N Text bench’s significant contributions with 11 markers, all helping make up for Japeth Aguilar scoring only 7 points and hauling down 3 rebounds after 27 and 8 in a 98-80 win over Meralco a week before.
For the third straight game, rookie Paul Lee led Rain or Shine with 17 points. But he had to scrape and scratch for each of those as the Tropang Texters threw multiple defenders against him. Beau Belga added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the E-Painters while five of the eight other players fielded in by coach Yeng Guiao scored at least 10 points. All those went for naught, however, when the entire team could not keep pace with Talk 'N Text in the homestretch.
Talk N Text 107 - Carey 28, Reyes 19, Castro 18, Fonacier 13, Dillinger 11, Aguilar 7, Peek 7, Aban 4, Raymundo 0, Lao 0.
Rain or Shine 98 - Lee 17, Belga 16, Norwood 12, Cruz 11, Arana 11, Chan 10, Quinahan 10, Buenafe 7, Matias 4, Rodriguez 0.
QS: 22-21, 47-48, 74-69, 107-98
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| Japeth Aguilar swats Pau Lee's shot in this bit of PBA action. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
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| Paul Lee drives between Jason Castro and Harvey Carey. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
BARAKO BULL ENERGY over BGY. GINEBRA KINGS, 88-75
Seemingly showing its true potential in its second game in the season, Barako Bull checked a long 12-game slump with a drubbing of Barangay Ginebra. Tapped to play his first game in the pros, Dylan Ababou made his presence felt and helped the
Lina Group franchise end the long, lonely losing skein dating back to the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup.
Another rookie, Allein Maliksi, transferees Willie Miller and Mick Pennisi, and old hands Leo Najorda and Paul Artadi also got going as the Energy beat the Kings for the first time in their last four meetings.
Coach Junel Baculi lauded his boys and made special mention of Ababou, who top scored with 20 points. Ababou, who had his training with Smart Gilas Pilipinas, debuted in the pros with aplomb, making all his first seven field-goal shots. Maliksi, the PBA D-League Season 1 MVP, also had his moment, firing away 9 points to help Barako take a 70-54 spread at the end of the third period. Maliksi, drafted by the team ahead of Ababou (10th) at eighth, finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds while Najorda, Artadi and Pennisi chipped in 12 points each.
Up against his most previous team, Miller logged just 7 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Towards the end of the third quarter, the two-time MVP awardee became the 24th player in league history to accumulate 2,000 assists
Mark Caguioa led all scorers with 22 points while Rob Labagala added 12. Curiously, the two players led Ginebra in scoring coming off the bench.
Barako Bull 88 - Ababou 20, Maliksi 13, Najorda 12, Artadi 12, Pennisi 12, Arboleda 5, Miller 4, Allado 4, Pena 4, Salvador 2, Avenido 0.
Ginebra 75 - Caguioa 22, Labagala 12, Canaleta 7, Tubid 7, Mamaril 6, Cortez 6, Helterbrand 5, Intal 3, Villanueva 3, Wilson W. 2, Wilson J. 2, De Ocampo 0.
QS: 21-20, 42-38, 70-54, 88-75
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| Mark Caguioa's path to victory was blocked by Leo Avenido and the Barako Bull Energy. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
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| Dylan Ababou led Barako Bull to the victory in his pro debut. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
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| Dorian Peña is surrounded as he tries to make a low post move in the Energy's win over the Kings. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
MERALCO BOLTS over B-MEG LLAMADOS, 84-78
Meralco continued to play well though crippled by injuries, scoring a second straight win with an upset of B-Meg. The Bolts again put up a solid defensive job together and banked on Chico Lanete, Mark Isip, Mark Borboran and Asi Tauvala for the offensive firepower in chalking up a follow-up to their initial victory over the Shopinas.com Clickers Wednesday.
Lanete and Isip kept Meralco afloat with their torrid shooting in the first 40 minutes then Taulava and Borboran took over to deliver important baskets at the finish. Lanete sizzled with 24 points, nine assists and three steals while Isip shone with 18 before Taulava and Borboran stepped in to fend off the Llamados’ endgame chase.
Lanete stepped up big time early on, drilling in two triples and a charity as Meralco opened a 12-point spread at 75-63 with 8:41 left to play.
Earlier, Laneta and Isip fired 12 points each and Borboran added eight as the Bolts took the half at 45-41. Both teams shot in the high 50s (field goal percentage) in the first half capped by Lanete with booming three-pointer.
Meralco 84 – Lanete 24, Isip 18, Borboran 10, Taulava 8, Espinas 8, Yee 5, Omolon 5, Timberlake 4, Macapagal 2, Ballesteros 0.
B-Meg 78 – Yap J. 19, Raymundo 15, Devance 9, Reavis 8, Simon 7, Yap R. 5, Barroca 5, Pingris 4, Ferriols 4, Maierhofer 2, Urbiztondo 0.
QS: 17-15, 45-41, 68-60, 84-78
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| Asi Taulava hit some big shots in the endgame to cement Meralco's 2nd win. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
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| PJ Simon had to dive for the ball, but it still wasn't enough for the Llamados to beat the Bolts. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
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| James Yap and the rest of B-Meg continue to adjust to the triangle offense of coach Tim Cone. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
Source: Game recaps were compressed and compiled from PBA.ph
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