PBA: Talk 'N Text repels multiple Air21 comebacks to forge tie for first place

The Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters had an answer for every Air21 Express run, as they pulled out a 102-91 win, Monday at the MOA Arena, in the 2014 PBA Governors Cup.

The win gave TNT a 4-1 card, allowing them to tie the San Mig Coffee Mixers in first place. Air21 on the other hand suffered their second loss in five outings, equaling the 3-2 record of the San Miguel Beermen.

A barrage of triples by former Tropang Texter Eliud Poligrates and Joseph Yeo got a 20-point deficit, 95-75, down to a more manageable 97-84 gap late in the fourth. Air21 continued to water down TNT’s lead to 10, 97-87, with 2:24 left in the game, but Kelly Williams jammed home an alley-oop pass by Ranidel De Ocampo and then Nonoy Baclao capped off the game with a triple, countering late Asi Taulava baskets.

De Ocampo was named Player of the Game after producing a 24-point, seven-rebound outing.

A three-pointer by Rodney Carney gave Talk ’N Text an early lead, 12-5, five minutes in, but Air21 rattled off seven points to tie the game up, before taking a slight lead, 19-16.

Ten unanswered points across the first two periods then put TNT on top anew, 26-19, after a Jayson Castro triple.

The Texters’ offense continued to surge, unloading a 13-3 blast for a 43-31 buffer, five minutes left in the first half, but their defense lagged behind, and the Express got within single digits by the intermission, 52-44.


Air21 halved their deficit early in the third, as an Aldrech Ramos triple made it a four-point affair, 52-48. A pair of Jimmy Alapag long-bombs however quashed his foes’ momentum though, reestablishing a double-digit TNT lead, 60-50.

With the Tropa’s advantage ballooning to 17, 70-53, things got heated as Ranidel De Ocampo was hit with a technical foul for bumping into Dominique Sutton, who was shooting charities. That seemed to fire up Air21, as they responded with six straight, 70-59,

Talk ’N Text however made up for their misstep to lead by 16 anew, 83-67 with a quarter left.

Jayson Castro came off the bench with 19 points on 50 percent shooting to aid De Ocampo. Jimmy Alapag was also a huge threat, posting 16 markers and issuing eight assists. The team didn’t even need import Rodney Carney that much, as the former NBA payer logged just 20.5 minutes for 12 points.

Dominique Sutton led all scorers with 31 points, part of a monstrous double-double with 14 rebounds. Asi Taulava also had a double-double of 20 points and 15 boards. Aldrech Ramos was the only other member of the Express to finish in double-digit scoring with 10.

Despite forcing just one more turnover, 11-10, TNT converted Air21 miscues better, with a 17-2 edge in points off errors. They however gave up a 15-8 advantage in offensive rebounds, leading to Air21 outscoring them 18-2 in second-chance points. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

TALK N' TEXT 102 - De Ocampo 24, Castro 19, Alapag 16, Carney 12, Williams 11, Carey 10, Fonacier 5, Baclao 3, Canaleta 2, Reyes Rob 0, Reyes Ryan 0

AIR21 91 - Sutton 31, Taulava 20, Ramos 10, Poligrates 8, Yeo 8, Villanueva J. 5, Atkins 4, Cardona 3, Borboran 2, Villanueva E. 0, Jaime 0, Burtscher 0, Camson 0

Quarter scoring: 23-19, 52-44, 83-67, 102-91