Texters humble Kings, force do-or-die Monday

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine Cup titlist Talk n Text, the league’s most dominant team in the last three years, willed itself to avoid early extinction, repulsing Barangay Ginebra, 113-99, to force a playoff for the last quarterfinals berth in the PBA Governors Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Sunday night.

Jimmy Alapag found his touch when needed the most, rattling in three straight three-pointers as the Tropang Texters fended off the Kings and lived to fight another game with the same rivals on Monday night.

Talk n Text and Ginebra square off again at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the nearby Cuneta Astrodome with the winner clinching the eighth and last slot in the quarters.

Courtney Fells, Harvey Carey, Ali Peek, Larry Fonacier and Jayson Castro also came through with sterling efforts as the Texters beat the Kings and force a three-way standoff among Talk n Text, Ginebra and Air21 at 3-6.

The Express took the exit, missing the one-game playoff due to an inferior quotient.

“Good thing we won and we’ll be able to play another game. What’s bad is we play them again in 24 hours,” said Talk n Text coach Norman Black. “Hopefully, they would be tired as we are.”

Earlier in the day, Air21, with its most productive game in franchise history (from the Shopinas/Barako line), scuttled Alaska Milk’s bid for a Top Four finish as the Express blew by the Aces, 121-107, in a high-scoring match.

The win, however, proved not enough for the Express to save themselves from early vacation.

Import Zach Graham, rookie guard Simon Atkins and new recruit Joseph Yeo stood at the forefront of Air21’s blazing, record performance that gave Rain or Shine a free lift to the Top Four.

Petron (8-1), San Mig Coffee (6-3), Meralco (5-4) and Rain or Shine (5-4) finished in that order, each one gaining twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinal round that starts tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Air21 torched Alaska with a franchise-best 61.1-percent shooting and dealt the Aces a loss that relegated them to seventh place with a 4-5 win-loss mark.
 
“Too bad, our destiny is not in our hands,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren.
 
In their second game with Yeo in tow and third with Asi Taulava around, the Express showed a great potential, ending their elims stint on a high note. It turned out to be their last game in the season.

Yeo went 2-of 4 from the three-point area and finished with 21 points while Taulava contributed seven markers, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Also providing a big help was Atkins who made a breakthrough performance with 8-of-9 field goals for a career-best 22 points.

Curiously, the rookie guard from La Salle totaled only 21 points in 21 games in the first two conferences. He’s previous career high was five.
 
Atkins was 6-of-6 from beyond the arc, equaling the all-time best perfect three-point shooting in the league shared by Glenn Capacio, Vic Pablo, Dondon Hontiveros and Renren Ritualo.

“There’s really no substitute for hard work. He played scrap times in our previous games. In spite of that, he’s the first time come in practice and the last to leave to do extra workouts,” said Pumaren of Atkins.

With Nino Canaleta, Vic Manuel and Bonbon Custodio also providing a push, the Express took control practically all throughout in their big upset of the Commissioner’s Cup champs.
 
Graham, Atkins, Yeo, Canaleta, Manuel and Custodio all put in at least 10 points as the Express narrowly missed the conference best output of 122 set by Petron in a 32-point blowout of Talk n Text last Sept. 11

“This is a good takeoff point from now till the next conference. The trades that we’ve just done will benefit us down the road,” said Pumaren.