Texters take fight out of Bulls

Macmac Cardona uncorked 42 points to carry Talk n Text to a routine victory last night and drive home a point he wanted national coach Yeng Guiao to absorb – that there are other players that could be considered for his RP team.

Cardona went 17-of-26 from the field counting five three-point conversions to lead the Talk n Text Tropang Texters to a 103-93 win over the Red Bulls of Guiao in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Astrodome.

“I believe I deserve to at least be considered for the national team and I’m still hoping to make it. Players don’t get the opportunity to play for the RP team everyday,” said Cardona.

Though the league leader in scoring this season, the former La Salle Archer didn’t make the 14-man RP pool announced by Guiao Thursday. He was bumped off in the off-guard spot by James Yap, Willie Miller, Cyrus Baguio and Jared Dillinger.

Cardona showed up everybody in putting in the best output by any player this season and the biggest since Mark Caguioa made 45 in Barangay Ginebra’s 118-114 double overtime win over Air21 on June 4, 2006.

“I knew it’s gonna be a question between Macmac and Cyrus Baguio. It’s coach Yeng’s prerogative (to get Macmac over Baguio) and I have no problem with it,” said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

Reyes praised Cardona for his effort to send a message for his non-inclusion in the pool. “It’s a very healthy attitude. It’s good that we have players willing to serve the country, unlike before na parang wala ng gustong maglaro for the RP team,” Reyes said.

Cardona was at his best in the third on the entry of Jason Castro after being benched in the entire first half for coming late on their call time.

Castro made his presence felt right away, helping the Tropang Texters build the momentum as they broke away in the second half and went on to notch their sixth win against five losses.

In the nightcap, Jayjay Helterbrand fired a game-high 23 points and Ronald Tubid added 17 as Barangay Ginebra topped Purefoods, 90-80, in a duel of teams struggling with a injury-plagued lineup.

“This victory is a good confidence builder for us. It’s still a long way to go and hopefully, we keep on improving and get enough wins to at least make an outright entry into the quarters,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.