| TNT BEATS SMB IN GAME 6 OT THRILLER TO ADVANCE TO FINALS |
| League’s highest-scoring backcourt duo virtually do it all for Tropang Texters |
| Sunday, 25 January 2009 | |
| Talk ’N Text displayed tremendous endgame poise in overtime as it downed San Miguel Beer, 116-115, in Game 6 of their semifinals series to book a Finals seat in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Sunday night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. Mark Cardona led the Tropang Texters with a personal series-best 34 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer as his took a 116-115 lead with 1:41 left in the extra period.
When the final buzzer sounded the 6-foot-2 Cardona saluted the pro-SMB crowd who had been harsh on the 6-foot-2 shooting guard in this best-of-seven Final Four series, which TNT won, 4-2. Cardona, the former De La Salle University stalwart who is one of the strong contenders for the Best Player of the Conference, went 13-of-24 from the field, including 7-of-15 from the three-point territory. The Tropang Texters will thus be playing in the all-Filipino Finals for the first time since losing to Barangay Ginebra in the 2004-05 Philippine Cup. Point guard Jimmy Alapag also delivered solid numbers for TNT with 27 points, while forward Harvey Carey had four points and a personal-conference high 22 rebounds, which typified the team’s determination despite the absence of the ‘de Ocampo Brothers’, Yancy and Ranidel. Yancy was fined P20, 000 and served a one-game suspension for committing a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 on SMB’s Danny Seigle in Game 5, while Ranidel was banished from the game in the second quarter for committing the same FFP2 offense. “I just kept telling my players during huddle, ‘just go all out and play with your hearts’,” said Talk ’N Text coach Chot Reyes. Reyes is in the Finals as a coach for the first time since guiding SMB to the 2006-07 Philippine Cup against eventual champion Ginebra. He is looking to become the first PBA coach to win three AFC championships with three different teams. Reyes won his first two with Purefoods (1993) and Coca-Cola (2002). He already won a total of four championships, two each with Purefoods and Coke. “Today (yesterday) marked one year when (TNT owner) Manny V. Pangilinan and (team representative) Ricky Vargas approached me to coach Talk ’N Text. I told them to give me one year and I’ll bring this team to the Finals,” he added. While Reyes is eying his fifth overall PBA championship, TNT is gunning only for its second and first since winning it in 2003 AFC. The Tropang Texters actually had a chance to win it in regulation with the score tied at 111-111, but Alapag’s three-point attempt was way off its target. The last time the Beermen had the lead was when former TNT Jay Washington, who was dealt to SMB in a Draft Day trade, made a putback, 115-113, with 1:57 left in OT. After Cardona’s trey, both teams traded missed shots. When Washington missed his attempt at point-blank range, TNT also missed but they got the rebound, first was when Ali Peek missed and Carey gabbed the rebound and when Jason Castro’s lay-up was off which Carey tried to tip it in. Although Carey missed, the leather was tapped by Peek and Cardona grabbed the loose ball as time expired. It was the fifth elimination game for SMB, winning two in the wildcard phase against Coca-Cola and Air21, in Game 3 of its quarterfinals series with Ginebra and in Game 5 of this series. Jared Dillinger finished with 14 points for TNT, while Ranidel de Ocampo, who was ejected from the game when he appeared to have stuck his right-foot on a three-point shooting Lordy Tugade, had 11 and eight boards before leaving the game. De Ocampo’s FFP2 almost always means an automatic for suspension and a P20, 000 fine Seigle led SMB with a personal conference-best 32 points, while Washington contributed 19 and 10 boards. Marc Pingris added 16 points with nine rebounds and Hontiveros had 15. TNT, which led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter (77-60), shot 38-of-94 or 40.4 percent from the field, while SMB converted 36-of-92 or 39.1 percent. The Beermen also controlled the boards, 59-57. (WG) The scores:Talk N' Text 116 - Cardona 34, Alapag 27, Dillinger 14, De Ocampo 11, Peek 9, Ritualo 7, Castro 6, Aljamal 4, Carey 4, Reyes 0, Lao 0. San Miguel 115 - Seigle 32, Washington 19, Pingris 16, Hontiveros 15, Villanueva 9, Tugade 9, Custodio 8, Pennisi 7, Gonzales 0, Racela 0. Quarterscores: 35-30, 62-58, 89-80, 111-111, OT 116-115. Source: PBA.PH |
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