Kings, Texters observe working holiday on Labor Day

MANILA, Philippines – It was a working holiday for both Ginebra San Miguel and Talk n Text as they marked the Labor Day and the start of the PBA All Star Week break on Wednesday back in practice.

Gearing up for the pivotal Game Three on Wednesday next week, both teams plunged back on the court in opposite directions.

The Tropang Texters, who leveled the series at one game apiece last Sunday, opted for a closed-door practice at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. The security guards inside the Ateneo campus presented a “no media allowed” notice, which they claimed came from the Talk n Text camp.

The Kings, meanwhile, were in good spirits despite the Game Two setback.

LA Tenorio, the Kings’ top point guard said that the long break will help the team recover from the Game Two meltdown where they squandered a nine-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

“Champion team ang Talk n Text. They’ve been in that situation several times already kaya hindi nakakagulat ang nilaro nila sa Game Two. Hindi naman kasi sila basta-basta susuko. If we want to be the best, we need to beat the best,” Tenorio told Philstar.com before their scrimmage on Tuesday morning at the Jacinto Tiu Sports Center in Xavier School in San Juan.

“Makakatulong sa amin itong long break to get Rudy (Hatfield) and possibly Mark (Caguioa) back. At the same time, ma-map out namin ang game plan to counter their adjustments,” Tenorio added.

Ginebra San Miguel coach Alfrancis Chua, who downplayed Caguioa’s possible return in Game Three, said that they are still in a good position despite the loss last Sunday. (read related story: Ginebra plays 'wait-and-see' on Caguioa's possible return)

“Hindi kami nag-celebrate ng maaga [in Game 2]. Talk n Text played great defense against us in the fourth (quarter) aside from making a couple of plays in the end. Naipasok nila ang mga tres nila at naka-iskor si Ranidel (de Ocampo) on a broken play,” Chua said.

De Ocampo knocked in a dagger three-pointer with the shot clock winding down in the final 33 seconds that extended the Tropang Texters’ precarious one-point lead to four, 83-79.

“It’s now down to a best-of-three. We’ll see in the next coming games on who will execute better down the stretch. I respect them. They (TnT) are a champion team. Sinusubok ulit ang puso ng team,” Chua said.

The Kings, though, are no stranger to challenges as they came back from a 0-4 start to get into the quarterfinals. They went on to win six straight games despite Caguioa falling to MCL injury in the middle of that streak.  And even without their top scorer and the acknowledged heart and soul of the team, the Kings went on to beat the second seed Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, erasing their twice-to-beat advantage to get into the semifinals against reigning Phil. Cup champion Talk n Text.