PBA: Orphaned Texters beat Llamados to grab Commissioner's Cup lead

Talk 'N Text already played without an import and in the second half lost its head coach, but the Tropang Texters amazingly found a way to win.

The defending champions sent a barrage of three-pointers to escape with a hard-earned 102-96 victory over the B-MEG Llamados to grab the lead in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Jason Castro played like an import for the Tropang Texters with 22 points and without a turnover during the game they dominated the entire stretch. He went 6-of-7 from beyond the arc, the last of which was a bank shot off a broken play that made it 101-95 in the final 25.2 seconds. In the absence of the injured Omar Samhan, the Tropang Texters went to their outside shooting and torched the stunned Llamados with 18 three-pointers. Talk 'N Text, now alone on top of the standings with a 3-0 (win-loss) record, is still bound to get better should the team get in terms with new import Donnell Harvey. Harvey, selected 22nd by the New York Knicks in the 2000 NBA Draft, is a replacement for the injured Samhan, who successfully went under the knife Wednesday morning to repair an ACL injury. "He (Harvey) is still dilly-dallying," said coach Chot Reyes. "I don't know if he's still coming or not." Reyes was ejected just before the start of the second half when he earned a second technical for crossing the court from the officials table. "Ignorance is not an excuse. I was ignorant of that rule," said Reyes, who was replaced by his assistant Nash Racela and consultant Norman Black. The Tropang Texters, even without their coach, sustained their hot start well into the second half and even enjoyed a 68-53 edge on an Ali Peek jumper midway in the third period. Then the Llamados suddenly got on fire in the pivotal fourth behind import Denzel Bowles. Bowles pumped in 18 of his game-high 38 points in the final period to personally carry B-MEG back in the game. His two free throws cut the deficit to 98-95 with 21. 2 seconds to go. The Llamados, after a Castro missed jumper at the other end, had the chance to tie the game. But Bowles failed to get the rebound and the ball ended up at the hands of Castro at the right corner, and the Talk 'N Text guard quietly buried the dagger three-pointer to seal the outcome of the match. Ranidel De Ocampo finished with 19 points while Kelly Williams and Larry Fonacier combined for 28 markers for the defending champions. Joe DeVance was the lone bright spot among the B-MEG locals with 19 points as top gunner James Yap was held to just five markers while PJ Simon had two. "We had a well executed defensive game plan. Bowles got 38, but James just got five and PJ two," said Reyes. — JVP, GMA News