Crucial tiff pits Texters vs Painters

MANILA, Philippines - Talk n Text, though assured of playoffs top seeding, still tries to stay on a roll and keep its competitive edge while San Mig Coffee, Air21 and Rain or Shine fight for playoff position at the resumption of the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Mixers and the Express face off at 5:45 p.m. then the Tropang Texters and the Elasto Painters square off at 8 p.m. in a crucial double-header entering the homestretch of the short one-round-robin elimination phase.

San Mig Coffee (3-2) hopes to snap a two-game losing skein and close in on second-running San Miguel Beer (5-2) while Air21 (3-3) and Rain or Shine (3-3) look to sustain the momentum of key wins the last time out to stay in the race for the Top Two.

Talk n Text is assured of the No. 1 spot at 7-0, but the Texters are still out to stretch their unbeaten run and sustain their fine form going into the playoffs.

Taking their turn to stop TnT’s rampage are the gritty E-Painters minus coach Yeng Guiao who’s on an official trip abroad in his capacity as a congressman.

“Coach Caloy (Garcia) will call the shots for the next two games. We will be okay as long as they run coach Yeng’s system,” said Rain or Shine co-team owner Raymond Yu.

Yu is also hopeful of an even better showing from import Wayne Chism in his second game with the team.

In their last game before the All-Star Week break, the Elasto Painters got the needed boost from Chism as they walloped the Globalport Batang Pier, 99-75.

The Express also won their last game before the All-Stars, nipping the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 97-95, largely behind Wesley Witherspoon’s explosive showing in his second game as Air21 import.

Coach Franz Pumaren, however, is wary of a tough test against San Mig Coffee tonight.

“It’s hard playing San Mig Coffee especially after the result of its last game against Talk n Text,” said Pumaren.

“We should anticipate a storm surge type of game from them. We have to control their rebounding edge for us to compete, and hopefully we can keep up with their intensity,” Pumaren also said.

The Mixers had also been on a hot streak until being tripped by the Barako Bull Energy Cola, 90-92, then topped by the Tropang Texters, 75-81.

“Needless to say, we’re eager to get back on the winning track after losing a couple of games in a row,” said San Mig coach Tim Cone.

“We’ve got three games over the next five days, and we need to see if we can create some momentum as we approach the playoffs,” Cone added.

They need to stop their bleeding now if they’re to stay in the fight for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

San Mig’s last four games in the elims are Air21, San Miguel Beer, Meralco and Alaska Milk.