Texters rarin' to defend crown

MANILA, Philippines - Talk N Text looks forward to defending the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title, barely two weeks since successfully retaining the Philippine Cup championship.

Big men Ali Peek and Harvey Carey said despite the short break the team had since finishing off surprise package Powerade in five games during the All-Filipino Finals, the entire Tropang Texters are again getting ready to stake their title in the import-laden conference that reels off this Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We’re up to the challenge, hopefully we can win more championships,” said Peek, who appeared with Carey for the very first time in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave.

“Winning has always been our ultimate goal,” added Carey, who, together with reigning PBA MVP Jimmy Alapag, is the only holdovers from the original Talk `N Text team that won its breakthrough title in the league in 2003.

The Tropang Texters parade 6-foot-11 Omar Hassan Samhan for their import in the Commissioner’s Cup, which they won last year at the expense of Barangay Ginebra, and with Paul Harris reinforcing them.

The team, however, hasn’t started practicing as a whole until Monday next week. The defending champs won’t have their first game until Feb. 17 against sister-team Meralco at the Astrodome.

“We start practicing Monday, but all of us are pretty much in shape as we’ve been out of play for just about a week,” said Carey, whose team won the Philippine Cup last Jan. 29 behind a 110-101 victory over the Tigers in the decisive Game 5 of the best-of-seven series.

Peek disclosed during the weekly session presented by Smart, Pagcor, and Shakey’s, that he thought about retiring during the critical stage of the Philippine Cup, shortly after he was shot in the nape at the parking area of the RFM gym that almost cost his life.

“I thought of retiring after I was shot,” admitted Peek as the bullet remained lodged at the back of his skull since removing it requires a very sensitive procedure.

But after two weeks of recuperating, he felt the itch to get back on the court again.

“I don’t want to let my team down. If it’s anything else, it’s my way of giving back to them as they had been there when I was down,” added the man-mountain, who’s turning 37 this year.

The end result had Peek playing a major part in Talk `N Text becoming the first team in the last 27 years to win the All-Filipino title in back-to-back fashion.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” said Carey of the special feat which Great Taste last did in 1984-85. “It’s already difficult to just win one, but to make it two in a row is really something special.”