DIGOS CITY ,Philippines – For a team supposedly tired, Talk n Text showed a bundle of energy in overpowering Powerade, 116-100, in the opener of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven final showdown at the Davao del Sur Coliseum here last night.
The Tropang Texters made good use of their deep, talent-laden roster as they stamped their class on their underdog rivals, setting the tone of the game – and probably the series – early.
Awesome were the reigning champs that they built huge 18-point spreads right in the first quarter and stayed in full control all the way to the finish.
Talk n Text led by as many as 20 at 95-75 as the Texters handled Gary David and his Powerade teammates well with an efficient job on both ends of the court.
Coming out running, gunning and defending, the Texters opened with a 31-13 salvo and hardly slowed down in fashioning out the impressive victory that spoke well of their capability to go all the way to win the crown after overcoming Petron in a tough semis series.
The Texters go for the 2-0 series lead Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It certainly helped that coach Chot Reyes kept his players fresh by rotating them well against the Powerade team that opted to rest injured ace guard Jvee Casio.
“We really took advantage playing them without Jvee in this game,” said Reyes. “But all we’ve got is a 1-0 lead and we have to be ready for their comeback once Jvee returns.”
The Texters punished the Tigers with a well-balanced offense and a methodical defense on David.
Jason Castro topscored with 23 points with Ryan Reyes, Jarred Dillinger, Larry Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo and Ali Peek adding at least 13 points each.
Castro, Reyes, Fonacier, Dillinger and Bambam Galinda were the different defensive faces Talk n Text thrown at David.
“We did a good job containing him. Limiting him at around 20 points was part of our defensive objective,” said Reyes.
Sophomore forward Sean Anthony tried to plug some holes for the Tigers, pacing his team with 23 points.
“Sean Anthony shot well and we had to withstand him,” said Reyes.
Talk n Text imposed its tremendous might early, going 6-of-9 from the three-point area in the first period and adding four more treys to take the half at 68-52.
Fonacier and Reyes combined for 6-of-7 three-point shooting to highlight the Texters’ torrid offense in the first half.
The Tigers just couldn’t match the Texters’ hot start with David held to two field-goal attempts in the opening quarter.
Rudy Lingganay and Celino Cruz, who rotated at the point minus Casio, had tough times handling the pressure.
Cruz, for one, committed three errors only in the opening period.
Anthony and Marcio Lassiter teamed up to spark some amount of fightback, getting the Tigers to within seven at 67-74.
De Ocampo, however, scored eight straight points to quickly stop the uprising.