Talk N Text levels series, forces Game 7

MANILA, Philippines -- Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes swore they came into Game Six prepared to play two more games. The Texters pulled through last night at the Araneta Coliseum, forcing a rubber match Wednesday in the same venue.

The Tropang Texters established a huge 19-point lead on a searing third-quarter breakaway and held off the Alaska Milk Aces’ fourth-quarter chase, carving out a 99-94 win to force the deciding Game Seven in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup title playoff.

“We came out tonight (last night) prepared to play 96 minutes. We’ve got half of the job done. Now, we have to figure out how to come out strong in the next 48 minutes,” said the Talk n Text mentor.

Alaska coach Tim Cone, meanwhile, simply thought they came out in Game Six not mentally prepared to play.

“Our starters played well in the first half but no more after that,” said Cone, who then issued a warning to Macmac Cardona in Game Seven.

“If Cardona taunts our player again, my players will knock him down on the floor. He’s done that three times already in the series. I will not allow it anymore,” said Cone. “It (taunting) starts a fight. And I tell you, my players will not back down.”

Cardona scored a game-high 23 points and also came through with four points and three assists against four turnovers in 32 minutes of action.

But Ali Peek proved to be the biggest difference with the hulking Talk n Text slotman checking out a slump, putting in personal conference highs of 17 points and 16 rebounds.

“Sonny Thoss was kicking Ali’s behind the whole series. We challenged him to stand up and he rose to the challenge. Now we’ll see if he’s still got another game like that in him,” said Reyes.

Jimmy Alapag also played big, teaming up with Renren Ritualo in a key run that pushed TnT 19 points up at 78-59.

Willie Miller, Larry Fonacier and Reynel Hugnatan fueled an Alaska fightback in the fourth quarter, but the best they could was trim the deficit to three at 94-97.