PBA: Texters zap Bolts, remain undefeated in five games

In a battle of MVP-owned sister teams, the Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters showed no mercy and mauled the Meralco Bolts, 91-68, in the 2014 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome. 

Ranidel De Ocampo led five Texters in double digits with 15 points. Larry Fonacier and Jayson Castro poured 14 points, and the latter added five rebounds and six assists. Richard Howell notched 13 points and 22 rebounds, while Harvey Carey scattered 11 points and six rebounds.

"Good defensive effort on our part; good team effort on our part," said TNT head coach Norman Black. "If you look at our sched its important for us to get as many wins as possible the way the schedule is. Whatever success we're having now, we want to continue that. Important for us to win now and get the top two; it's the only advantage you'll have."

Talk N’ Text (5-0) are off to their best start in an import conference and remain atop the league standings, while Meralco (2-2) ties Air21 at the fourth spot. Since the Bolts joined the PBA in 2010, they have a 3-10 record against the Texters.

As Brian Butch caught fire early and the Bolts converted inside, Meralco caught the Texters off-guard and took a 16-8 lead off a Reynel Hugnatan jumper. But Jayson Castro drew an and-one to shift the momentum, and teamed up with Larry Fonacier to seize a 28-24 advantage at the end of the first.

Talk N’ Text locked the Bolts down in the second quarter and allowed just nine points. The Texters were also slumping offensively, but broke the spell as they went on a late scoring spree inside, with Fonacier getting the final say to end the half ahead, 43-33. 

Casto and Fonacier drained triples during a 11-3 rally after the break, 54-36. The Bolts though put up a fight, as a Jared Dillinger and-one highlighted a handful of incursions in the lane. Meralco couldn’t trim the gap to less than 14 points, as Ranidel De Ocampo took over the Texters’ last few possessions to secure a 68-49 lead after three quarters.

KG Canaleta converted a couple of three-pointers in the fourth to help diffuse some aggressive play from Gary David, 82-60, preventing any further attempts at a comeback.

The Texters led by as much as 24 points, 88-64. 

Talk N’ Text shot 35-of-84 (41.7 percent) from the field, while the Bolts were 28-of-89 (31.5 percent).

Brian Butch, who came into the game averaging 32.7 points, was held to 16 points and 20 rebounds on 6-of-21 shooting. John Wilson was the only local Bolt to breach 10 points with 11. - RAF, GMA News


The scores:
TALK N' TEXT 91 - De Ocampo 15, Castro 14, Fonacier 14, Howell 13, Carey 11, Canaleta 9, Williams 7, Salamat 2, Baclao 2, Ro. Reyes 1, Ry. Reyes 1, Aban 0, J. Reyes. 0

MERALCO 68 - Butch 16, Wilson 11, David 8, Caram 5, Hugnatan 5, Mandani 5, Ildefonso 4, Hodge 4, Salvacion 3, Dillinger 3, Al-Hussaini 2, Guevarra 2, Bringas 0

Quarters: 28-24, 43-33, 68-49, 91-68