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| Ranidel De Ocampo came up big in the OT after his big boo-boo in the end of regulation. (image by Paul Ryan Tan/InterAKTV.com) |
TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS over POWERADE TIGERS, 133-126 (OT)
“This game was determined by hunger, by the team that wanted it more. I told my players before the game that they better be starving because I am,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes postgame.
At some points in Game 3, it looked like the Powerade Tigers might actually, finally, catch a break and get back in the championship series, but the Tropang Texters were just too good.
They were too good at the most important moments.
JV Casio hit an improbable three that sent the game into overtime, but, just as they have done since the start of the season, the Tigers continued to live and die by the three-point shot in the extra session.
They died.
Well, not literally of course, but judging by the fact they’re down 0-3 to the defending champions, and one of the deepest rosters at that, they probably feel they might as well be dead.
No team basketball team (here or in the NBA) has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win it all.
Sadly, I don’t think the Powerade Tigers are going to change any of that.
After the JUMP à the compressed game recap from PBA.ph:
Ranidel de Ocampo ought to be swaying to Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” De Ocampo committed one of the most terrible errors in PBA Finals history in regulation, but redeemed himself beautifully in overtime as defending champion Talk ‘N Text turned back Powerade to move within a game of sweeping the Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. The Tropang Texters gun for their fifth title in Game Four Friday night at the same venue, hoping to add the Tigers to 11 previous teams that fell behind 0-3 and never recovered.
TNT appeared to have Game Three under wraps until the shocking developments with 3.3 seconds left. TNT had possession and held a 121-118 lead.
Inbounding from in front of their bench, De Ocampo, who had 12 points in the fourth quarter, miscalculated on a lead pass to teammate Larry Fonacier, who was covered heavily by Gary David. The ball sailed over Fonacier to the backcourt and was scooped up by streaking Powerade rookie JV Casio, who drilled in a huge three point shot to send the game into overtime.
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| JV Casio hit a bit shot to send the game into OT, but his guns fell silent in the extra inning. (image by Paolo Papa/InterAKTV.com) |
De Ocampo, who had 21 points behind Fonacier’s 25, then had five points in overtime, including a triple that gave Talk ‘N Text a 126-121 lead which it never relinquished.
David led Powerade with 36 points but was too worn out in overtime to come to his team’s aid, missing all five shots he took. TNT outscored Powerade, 12-5 in overtime. David, Marcio Lassiter, Sean Anthony, Casio and Doug Kramer – the Tigers’ main five – were a combined five points in the extra period.
Powerade shot better from 3-point range, but surrendered 15 more attempts overall from its 43 percent field goal shooting. The Tigers also gave up 15 points in free throw conversions after getting whistled for 25 fouls against TNT’s 14. Bench scoring went one-sided to TNT, 37-4, a testimony to the Texters’ extra deep roster.
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| Larry Fonacier has blossomed into a possible go-to guy for the TNT Tropang Texters. (image by Paul Ryan Tan/InterAKTV.com) |
TNT 133 – Fonacier 25, De Ocampo 21, Reyes 19, Peek 16, Williams 14, Castro 10, Alapag 10, Aguilar 6, Dillinger 6, Carey 4, Lao 2, Gamalinda 0.
POW 126 – David 36, Lassiter 25, Anthony 25, Casio 18, Kramer 14, Cruz 3, Adducul 3, Lingganay 2, Vanlandingham 0, Allera 0.
QS: 28-34, 63-60, 87-93, 121-121, 133-126
Source: Game recap was compressed and compiled from PBA.ph
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