The Phone Pals pounded on Seigle’s ouster and carved out a 100-94 win that assured the team of a playoff for an automatic entry into the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup semifinals.
Talk n Text firmed up its hold of the lead on its 11th win in 16 starts, guaranteeing the team at least a tie for second place at the end of the double-round classification phase of the season-ending tourney.
Suffering its seventh loss against nine wins, San Miguel needs to sweep its last two games in the classifications to get a crack at the semis without going through the wildcard battles.
"We’re lucky he (Seigle) was not able to contribute any more in the second half," said coach Joel Banal, whose wards made it two in a row minus suspended Fil-Am guard Jimmy Alapag.
The Beermen were doing well last night until Seigle twisted his right foot on the way to the basket with a little over a minute to go in the first half.
Seigle grimaced in pain on the floor for a few minutes before he was helped out of the court as team officials, at first, expressed concern the player, who sat out nearly two seasons on an injury he sustained before the 2002 Busan Asian Games, might have suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Though the team’s physical therapist ruled out a major injury, Seigle was rushed to a nearby hospital for a more thorough test.
Dondon Hontiveros exploded for 29 points, counting eight treys, but wasn’t able to save the Beermen from a second-half collapse.
Talk n Text seized the lead for good at 74-72 on a triple by Yancy de Ocampo just before the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the third period.
Jerald Honeycutt scattered 11 points as he returned to the floor after a brief rest in the final period, fuelling a decisive Talk n Text charge that set the tone for the team’s victory.
Meanwhile, another double-header on the road is featured today with Red Bull clashing with Coca-Cola and Purefoods playing FedEx at the CEU Centrodome in Malolos, Bulacan.
The Hotdogs will be severely handicapped minus suspended import Lorenzo Coleman and injured player Kerby Raymundo.