Talk 'N Text stays alive, forces Game 7 vs Petron

(Updated 8:22 p.m.) Talk `N Text won’t go down defending its PBA Philippine Cup title without a fight. Jimmy Alapag played his best game of the semifinal playoffs with 29 points and Ranidel de Ocampo added 23 as the Tropang Texters outlasted the Petron Boosters in a high-scoring Game 6 Sunday, 111-108, to forge a do-or-die encounter for a berth in the Finals of the All-Filipino tournament. Playing inconsistent in the first five games of the best-of-seven series, Alapag finally showed flashes of his old brilliant self, making one great play after the other, including two pressure-packed free throws inside the final 33 seconds that gave the Tropang Texters a 108-104 lead. The reigning champions have now won back-to-back games and tied the series at 3-games apiece, with the winner-take-all Game 7 set for Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome. “Jimmy is a big-game player, he came out being aggressive and looking to score from the very start,” said coach Chot Reyes of his prized point guard and reigning league MVP. The victory also kept the Tropang Texters on track in their bid to become the first team in the last 27 years to win the All-Filipino championship twice in a row. And Reyes is keeping his fingers crossed his boys will be up to the task three days from now. “We’re going down to Game 7 for all the marbles,” he said. “We’re raring to go, and hopefully, we’ve saved our best for Wednesday.” The Boosters lost despite getting 20 points from Arwind Santos, 18 from Alex Cabagnot and 16 each from rookie Chris Lutz and Danny Ildefonso. Petron mentor Ato Agustin admitted the Boosters’ lack of defense did them in. “I think we lost our focus especially on defense. It’s all about mental toughness,” he said. The Boosters allowed the Tropang Texters to shoot 50 percent from the field, and were outscored by 18 on second chance points. “Shooting is not the problem, defense is,” added Cabagnot. “We have to make stops, we have to regroup for Wednesday.” Still, Petron stayed in the game entering the homestretch, leading 99-97, until De Ocampo scored on back-to-back possessions as Talk `N Text seized control for good, 101-99 with 2:31 to go.     Ildefonso cut the lead to 102-103 by completing a three-point play, but Larry Fonacier answered with a dagger trey to extend the lead to four. Another basket by Ildefonso had Petron threatening for the last time at 106-104, before he committed the mistake of fouling Alapag on the next possession, resulting in two free throws for the defending champions.                    “Well, I wish we could celebrate, but there’s still one game to win,” Reyes pointed out. - AMD, GMA News The scores Talk `N Text (111) -- Alapag 29, De Ocampo 23, Fonacier 15, Peek 12, Castro 11, Gamalinda 5, Aguilar 5, Dillinger 5, Carey 4, Williams 2, Alvarez 0.              Petron (108) -- Santos 20, Cabagnot 18, Lutz 16, Ildefonso 16, Miranda 14, Tugade 10, Yeo 8, Reyes 6.              Quarterscores: 25-23, 47-44, 79-74, 111-108