MANILA, Philippines – Talk n Text outfought Petron Blaze in the clutch with a relentless effort on both ends, hacking out a 95-82 win to clinch top spot in the elimination round of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.
The Tropang Texters started a bit flat but finished with a flurry, guaranteeing themselves with top seeding in the playoffs with an 11-2 win-loss card.
Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, Ranidel de Ocampo, Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag all played big in the homestretch, outplaying Arwind Santos and his teammates as Talk n Text stretched to eight games its domination of Petron in their head-on duels.
The Texters held the Boosters scoreless in the last 3:02 of play, dealing coach Olsen Racela and his troops a seventh loss against six wins.
“It’s a big win, obviously, as it guaranteed us first place in the elims. It was a great team effort. We played a balanced game and played tenacious defense at the finish,” said Talk n Text coach Norman Black.