PBA: Talk 'N Text ends mini-slump by dispatching Rain or Shine in new import Carney's debut

The Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters stepped it up late to defeat the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 83-81, in the 2014 PBA Governors' Cup on Wednesday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

Jimmy Alapag was dubbed player of the game for his fourth quarter explosion. All-in-all, he tallied 15 points and five assists to propel Talk 'N Text to victory.

Former NBA swingman Rodney Carney made his debut for the Texters after Othyus Jeffers ran into contract complications with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Carney reportedly had just landed in the country today and was unable to practice prior with the Texters.

Talk 'N Text (2-1) moved into third place, tying Air21, Alaska, and San Mig Coffee. Rain or Shine (1-3) fell to eighth place with Barako Bull.

Talk 'N Text placed Carney in a few isolation situations to get him going in the game, but Larry Rodriguez, TY Tang, and Arizona Reid spaced the floor gave the Elasto Painters a 19-15 lead in the first. Later on though Talk 'N Text dug in defensively and launched a 13-7 run to close the period, leading 28-26.

Both teams were firing blanks from the outside during the second, combining for just six field goals through seven minutes. Rain or Shine benefited from several Texters turnovers but couldn't edge ahead. Carney hit a triple with 4:50 to play, and Talk 'N Text maintained a 45-41 lead going into halftime.


Rain or Shine countered a couple of layups and erupted with a 17-2 blast, 58-51, as Reid and Chris Tiu put their team's inside-out game out on full display in the penultimate quarter. The Texters went with an all-Filipino lineup and but got badly outmuscled, until KG Canaleta hit consecutive triples with two minutes to play. The TNT gunner scored eight of their last 10 points to help the Tropa cling to a 63-61 tally at the end of the third.

Jimmy Alapag and Larry Fonacier lit it up from downtown in the fourth, and scored or assisted on their first 13 points to claim a 74-66 lead. In response, the Elasto Painters whipped the ball around and found the open man to get within two on a Jeff Chan jumper, 78-76.

Chan hit a triple with 30 seconds left to make it a one-possession game, 83-81, after his team trailed by as much as seven with two minutes left. The Texters called timeout but couldn't convert, and Chan drew a foul with 4.3 seconds left. Rain or Shine inbounded the ball and got a wide-open look for a Paul Lee trey that went long, and Ryan Reyes swatted the ball out of bounds to preserve the win for Talk 'N Text. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

TALK ’N TEXT 83 - Alapag 15, Canaleta 15, Fonacier 14, Carney 13, De Ocampo 9, Williams 6, Carey 4, Reyes Ryan 2, Baclao 2, Castro 2, Reyes Rob 1

RAIN OR SHINE 81 - Reid 19, Chan 12, Almazan 9, Lee 8, Rodriguez 8, Tang 7, Tiu 5, Norwood 5, Arana 4, Belga 2, Cruz 2, Ibanes 0, Uyloan 0

Quarter scoring: 28-26, 45-41, 61-63, 83-81