TNT Texters go up 2-0 as they slip past Powerade in PBA Finals

Talk `N Text played with the poise of a champion, repeating over Powerade Monday night, 102-96, and took full command of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.              The defending All-Filipino champions uncorked seven straight points in a span of a minute during the homestretch to clinch the victory and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven title series.              Jimmy Alapag, who finished with a team-high 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor, sank a three-point dagger to cap the run as the Tropang Texters pulled away for good, 101-93, with 50 seconds to go.              The Tigers had just battled back from 12 points down (89-77) and threatened at 94-93 on a jump shot by rookie Marcio Lassiter inside the final two minutes, when the Tropang Texters got their act together and came through with that crucial scoring blast.              “We don’t want to relax. This is still a long way to go,” said Alapag later.              Coach Chot Reyes agreed with his prized point guard.              “We still need to get two more. All we’ve done is move a step closer to our ultimate objective. We can’t relax, we can’t take our foot off the pedal because we’re expecting the mightiest fight-back from Powerade in Game Three.”              After Alapag scored on that pressure-packed trey, the Tigers failed to score at the other end, leading to a Larry Fonacier open lay-up following a broken play.              Ryan Reyes then sealed the deal by completing a steal for a breakaway two as the Tropang Texters’ bench and its horde of supporters began celebrating.              They all had reasons to rejoice.              No team in the history of the league has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit, something which Talk `N Text is aiming to shoot for in Game 3 Wednesday also at the Big Dome.              On track of becoming the first team to repeat as All-Filipino champion since Great Taste in 1985, the Tropang Texters pounded the Tigers off the boards in the second half, 31-13, and 56-42 overall.              Jayson Castro added 19 points for Talk `N Text, while Fonacier and Ali Peek had 13 and 10, respectively.              Top gunner Gary David led Powerade with 30 markers, 19 in the first half, and top rookie JV Casio returned from a hamstring injury in Game 1 and finished with 17.              Fil-Am Sean Anthony, a key player for the Tigers in the series opener, struggled this time with only two points on 1-of-9 shooting.              He also had to be taken out of the game early in the fourth quarter after receiving an elbow from big man Ranidel de Ocampo that left him with a bloodied eye. The Talk `N Text forward, however, only got a flagrant foul penalty 1. -- OMG/HS, GMA News The scores              Talk 'N Text (102) -- Alapag 23, Castro 19, Fonacier 13, Peek 10, Carey 9, Williams 8, Reyes 7, De Ocampo 7, Dillinger 4, Gamalinda 2, Aguilar 0. Powerade (96) -- David 30, Casio 17, Lassiter 15, Kramer 14, Adducul 9, Vanlandingham 4, Cruz 3, Anthony 2, Antonio 2, Allera 0, Crisano 0.              Quarterscores: 31-25, 56-51, 80-73, 102-96