Texters' Game 7 poser: Daniels or new import?

MANILA, Philippines - Faced with a must-win task in Game Seven tomorrow, Talk n Text will decide this afternoon on who between Shawn Daniels and Omar Sharrif Sneed the team will field versus Alaska Milk in their PBA Fiesta Conference Final Four showdown.

The team has until 5 p.m. to inform the PBA Commissioner’s Office if there will be a change in personnel.

The TnT team management and coaching staff have been weighing their options on their imports after bungling the first crack at wrapping up the best-of-seven semifinals series in Game Six Sunday.

Alaska outhustled and outplayed Talk n Text in pulling off a 94-83 win Sunday that forced a rubber match tomorrow.

The Texters face a dilemma on either retaining Daniels or taking in Sneed after being beaten by the Aces with a small lineup in the absence of injury-stricken center Sonny Thoss.

“It’s not actually because of Shawn that’s why we lost. We’re basically outhustled. That’s the worst part of the loss. We’re outworked,” said TnT coach Chot Reyes.

A big question Reyes and his staff now ponder is who between Daniels and Sneed could work better with the Texters in a do-or-die game tomorrow.

Who’s better fit?

The Texters need to readjust as they were surprised by the Aces Sunday with a team that put premium on speed and hustle minus Thoss who’s out for the next few days due to a sprained ankle.

“We had a harder time playing them without Thoss. Tony dela Cruz played so well in taking Sonny’s spot. They’re able to keep pace with us with their small lineup,” said Reyes.

Cyrus Baguio stripped Jimmy Alapag of ball possession and scored on a breakaway layup to clinch the win in the highly emotional match marred by several altercations including one late in the first half joined in by the two teams’ top officials.

Tapped to play for some minutes with Macmac Cardona struggling, TnT forward Mark Yee triggered a near brawl on a dangerous foul on Larry Fonacier towards the end of the second quarter.

Joe De Vance also had verbal tussle with Alapag and Ranidel de Ocampo.

The Aces, however, stayed focused on the match throughout.

Alapag sizzled with 20 points in the first half but went scoreless in the last two quarters.

The entire TnT team struggled with a 39.2-percent shooting.

“It’s really not because of Shawn. It’s because of effort. What’s Macmac’s shooting percentage? What’s Ranidel shooting? We shot below 40 percent,” said Reyes.

“But we really have to look at Shawn and Sneed. The possibility of replacing is there,” Reyes added.