Asi, Phone Pals tame Tigers

Four days after registering his first triple double, Asi Taulava fashioned out another gem of a game yesterday as he powered the streaking Talk N Text to its fifth straight victory with a 91-87 win over the Coca-Cola in the Samsung-PBA All-Filipino Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Taulava scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter in an awesome display of offensive firepower, including the Phone Pals’ last seven points that virtually sealed Talk N Text’s ninth victory in 14 outings.

The hefty Fil-Tongan also dominated the boards, hauling down 14 rebounds for his 11th double-double effort this conference, a league record. He came through with a 17-point, 18-rebound, 10-assist production in leading Talk N Text to a thrilling 89-88 come-from-behind triumph over Alaska Milk last Wednesday.

What’s so daunting about Taulava was that he felt he still had a lot more to give.

"I made a lot of mistakes but I made some crucial shots," said Taulava, who has weighed down from 265-70 pounds to 248 this conference. "It’s not that spectacular but I feel I have more to give if I could lessen my turnovers."

The Tigers, who are coming off back-to-back victories, uncorked a 7-0 run to tie the count at 81 entering the final four and a half minutes of the contest.

But it proved to be Coca-Cola’s last show of force as Taulava, who has shown tremendous improvement after being suspended for two games at the start of the conference for substance abuse, took over for the Phone Pals.

It was also Talk N Text interim coach Joel Banal’s fifth win in row since replacing American Paul Woolpert last month. It also avenged his loss to Chot Reyes and the Tigers in his debut as PBA coach in an out-of-town game in San Fernando, Pampanga last April 12.

More importantly, the win snapped a long seven-game losing spell by Talk N Text against Reyes-led teams, including all four of its games last season.

In the other game, Shell went to Tony dela Cruz and Chris Calaguio in the homestretch as it humbled Alaska Milk, 89-83, to tie Ginebra at fourth place with identical 4-10 slates in Group B.

It was the Aces’ seventh defeat against eight wins.