The Final Score: In game four, Talk 'N Text believed in scoring by giving

The term “extra pass” is still ringing in my ear. I apologize if it’s still ringing in yours too. I kept saying it over and over during game four of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. In my defense, Talk ‘N Text kept giving extra passes to open teammates over and over. What was I supposed to do? Look away? Say something else? I wanted to use similar terms for “extra pass” like “nice assist” or “unselfish play” just to break the monotony.  But TNT players moved the ball so quickly, as if shooting first before looking at a nearby teammate was against the law, I didn’t have time to check a thesaurus. So I mentioned “extra pass” on television over and over, again and again. Oh no, I’m doing it again. I said it too many times during the broadcast. I might end up writing that term too many times in this column. Believe me, it’s not my fault. TNT had 34 assists in game four against Rain or Shine’s 16. [Related: Three-point shots seal Talk 'N Text's third straight Phil. Cup title] Remember that avalanche of points in the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter that allowed TNT to put away RoS for good? Remember how TNT scored basket after basket? 6:44 – Jimmy Alapag assist to Jared Dillinger. Three points. 6:15 - Ranidel De Ocampo lob pass to Kelly Williams. Dunk plus bonus free throw. 5:43 – Jimmy Alapag to Ranidel De Ocampo. Three points. 5:06 – Ranidel De Ocampo to Ryan Reyes. Three-point play. 4:41 – Kelly Williams provides pick for Jimmy Alapag. Three points. 4:08 – Kelly Williams provides pick for Jimmy Alapag. Three points. 2:37 – Jared Dillinger assist off the backboard for Kelly Williams. Slam dunk. 1:40 – Jimmy Alapag to Ranidel De Ocampo. Three points. TNT scored 23 points in half a quarter. You probably noticed how I included two picks set by Williams in the list (4:41 and 4:08). For anyone who preaches team play, picks are just as helpful as assists. I realized by the time Dillinger scored that three-point shot with still over six minutes left that the RoS players were deflated beyond repair. RoS players were no longer playing defense. It was almost forgivable as it was understandable. TNT players, however, could just have easily given up team play in favor of one-on-one moves. Ayaw na dumepensa ng kalaban. It was showtime. The game was practically over. Maybe TNT could’ve scored just as many points. But it would be so un-TNT I suppose. You know how Last Song Syndrome (LSS) works? The last song you hear before hopping off the car is the song that stays with you for the rest of the day. Well, TNT’s extra passing is my LSS for the week. Moments after TNT received the championship trophy, Ateneo Blue Eaglets Head Coach Joe Silva sent out a tweet addressed to his young high school players. Silva’s short message: “No stars. No primadonnas. Everyone was equally important.” The understated philosophy of the extra pass: a broadcaster can say it too much while a coach can’t say it enough. - AMD, GMA News