The Phone Pals picked up from where they left off in the double-round classifications and kept their mastery of the Turbochargers with a 97-74 rout in Game One of their Gran Matador PBA best-of-five semifinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum last night.
Top-seeds in the playoffs with a 12-6 win-loss record in the classifications, the Phone Pals dominated the Turbochargers practically the same way in their first two meetings in the season-ending tourney, thus, gaining the decisive head start in the short series.
Talk n Text swept Shell in two games in the classifications both by a large margin. The Phone Pals have actually beaten the Turbochargers in their last seven meetings dating back to the recent Philippine Cup.
The Phone Pals lost none of their fiery form on the long break they enjoyed after topping the classifications, taking control right in the opening quarter and imposing their will as they built a 27-point spread in the final half.
The PLDT-Piltel franchise tried to stay sharp during their break on a weeklong visit in Australia where the Phone Pals figured in a three-game exhibition series with the Sydney Kings (two games) and the NBL All Stars (one).
Judging by the way they pounced on the Turbochargers, there’s little doubt the Phone Pals can hurdle the playoffs ninth seeds and achieve a return stint in the finals.
"Good news is that we’re not rusty," said Talk n Text coach Joel Banal.
"I hope we continue to play this way. Game Two is all about meeting their challenge. If we’re able to do that, we have a fair chance," Banal added.
Jerald Honeycutt, with only nine, finished below 10 points for the first time this conference but the Talk n Text locals came out with their guns ablaze to stop Shell’s amazing four-game romp in the playoffs.
Ajani Williams was worse as he struggled for only seven points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field. He was said to be slowed down by a groin injury.
Danny Ildefonso and Dondon Hontiveros formed a deadly two-pronged attack for San Miguel in the second half as the Beermen made a big charge from a 12-point halftime deficit in pulling off an 89-81 win over the Red Bull Barakos in Game One of their own best-of-five semis showdown.