Asi lords it over Kings; Pals in semis

ANTIPOLO – Talk N Text bucked manpower shortage to reach the Samsung PBA All-Filipino Cup Final Four with an emphatic 99-86 victory over Barangay Ginebra at the Ynares Sports Center here last night.

Asi Taulava dominated the paint for a 17th double-double showing in the season and his teammates also put in significant numbers as the Phone Pals nailed the crucial Friday the 13th win that paved the way for their entry into the next round.

Curiously, Talk N Text remained unbeaten in its last eight games in this mountain-top venue and it sent the team to its first All-Filipino semis since 1997.

This is Taulava’s very first semis stint in his PBA career. He was with the national team when the Phone Pals figured in the Commissioner’s Cup finals versus the Red Bull Thunder last year.

"We just want to keep the excitement going until the semis since we don’t know yet which team we play in the next round," said Talk N Text coach Joel Banal,whose team played efficiently despite loss of three men who failed the league’s drug test.

Taulava came up with monstrous numbers with 31 points and 22 rebounds as he shattered Ginebra’s double-and triple-teaming defenses and eventually crushed the Gins’ hopes of making it past the quarterfinals.

With Ginebra’s defense clogging on Taulava at the paint, Talk N Text’s gunners also made a killing from the outside.

Jimmy Alapag went 4-of-9 from the three-point zone and finished with 15, Patrick Fran made three treys and also totaled 15 while Victor Pablo and Bong Ravena combined for 22 points.

Rotating the ball well on a half-court game while occasionally scoring on fast-break, the Phone Pals outclassed the Kings, leading by as many as 16 points numerous times.

It took a pressing defense early in the fourth quarter for Ginebra to come back in the thick of things at 75-81.

Coca-Cola overcame a woeful shooting in the first half and a stubborn challenge by Red Bull, pulling off an 80-79 decision that also gave the team a ticket to the semifinals in the second game.