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Harvey Carey rifled in 24 points, including the game’s last five points, as Talk n Text scalped Barangay Ginebra, 102-96, to move within striking distance of the front-runners in the Talk n Text PBA Fiesta Cup at the Urios Gym in Butuan City last night.

Carey scored clutch baskets at the finish, saving the day for the Phone Pals who closed in on the leaders on their sixth win in their last seven outings.

At 9-6 overall, Talk n Text is now just a game behind erstwhile solo-leader Barangay Ginebra  which now shares the lead with Red Bull and Alaska Milk at 10-5.

Standing between the joint pacesetters and Talk n Text is Air21 at 9-5.

Red Bull and Air21 press their bid for the two outright semifinals berths staked in the double-round robin eliminations as they mix it up at the resumption of action at the Araneta Coliseum today.

The Bulls have a shot at the solo leader while the Express have a chance to tie the Kings and the Aces in the lead in the 6:30 p.m. contest.

Coca-Cola and Sta. Lucia collide in the 4:05 p.m. opener with both looking to clinch outright seat in the wildcard round.

Mathematically, both the Tigers, at 6-9, and the Realtors, at 5-9, remain in contention for automatic entry into the quarterfinal round.

Purefoods, at 5-11, and Welcoat, at 3-12, are the teams in danger of missing the playoffs.

J.J. Sullinger, Egay Billones, Jay Washington and Donbel Belano also put in double-digit outputs as the Phone Pals sustained their hot charge to enhance their bid for an outright semis seat.

The Pals took the half at 53-44 and still enjoyed the upper hand, 77-74, entering the final quarter.

But the Pals wavered a bit in the face of Rod Nealy‚s torrid shooting and needed Carey‚s endgame heroics to preserve a second straight win following a 116-115 nail-biter over the Express Wednesday.

Nealy sizzled with a game-high 38 points that went for naught.