(From PBA)
Jimmy Alapag, Ryan Reyes and Jason Castro responded to their coach’s challenge and Talk ‘N Text rebounded from its embarrassing defeat in Game 1.
Alapag had a brilliant second half where he scored all his 25 points which helped propel the Tropang Texters to a 100-94 victory against the Alaska Aces Friday and evened their PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals series at one game apiece.
“L.A. Tenorio manhandled us in Game 1. So the challenge for Jimmy and Jason (Castro) was to make sure it does not happen again,” said Talk 'N Text head coach Chot Reyes.
After a scoreless first half, Alapag made 8 of 11 shots in the second half, including 5 of 8 from the three-point range on the way to a double-double effort as he also had 10 assists.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is set Sunday (6 p.m.) also at the Araneta Coliseum.
Early in the game, it looked like the Tropang Texters were in trouble again as Joe Devance knocked in threes one after the other, putting the Aces in control.
The Alaska forward scored 16 points including 4-of-6 three-pointers in the opening half but he appeared to have lost his confidence in the endgame, passing up even on open looks that didn’t escape the attention of coach Tim Cone, who yelled at him to shoot late in the fourth.
Devance made just one attempt in the second half – a miss from the three-point arc.
“We gave up 27 points in the first seven minutes of the game but held them to just two the rest of the first quarter. From there we knew it was just a matter of matching their intensity in the second half,” related Reyes.
Alapag, who went 0-of-3 in the first half, picked up his rhythm in the third quarter and provided the spark the Tropang Texters needed. He scattered 12 points to singlehandedly rally Talk 'N Text, which outscored Alaska, 25-19 to pull within two points entering the fourth.
The count was tied at 72 with 8:39 remaining when Alapag made back-to-back threes that keyed off a telling 19-7 run. He had 13 points in that spurt, ending it with another three-pointer with 4:46 left that gave Talk 'N Text an 89-79 lead it never relinquished.
Besides Alapag, Castro and Ryan Reyes also stepped up big as TNT’s three-guard rotation more than made up for the absence of Mac Cardona, who missed Game 2 to marry his long time girlfriend Carissa.
Castro scored 17 points and had four assists while Reyes added 11, three assists and two steals. Even Kelly Williams, who was treated for dinner by Alaska forward Reynel Hugnatan in Game 1, also had an impressive game with 10 points and seven boards.
“We knew Macmac would not play and we were prepared without him. And we can’t use that as an excuse. So it’s important that Jason step up with Ryan,” Reyes said.
Diamon Simpson finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds but the Alaska import didn’t get enough support from the locals especially in the fourth.
Alaska made just 7 of 15 shots in the fourth while TNT went 11 of 16.
Cyrus Baguio scored 13 points and he and De Vance had three turnovers each as Alaska committed a total 17 for the game, seven more than TNT, which netted 16 points from those miscues. (DBC)
The scores:
Talk ‘N Text 100 - Alapag 25, Castro 17, De Ocampo 13, Reyes 11, Daniels 11, Williams 10, Carey 7, Dillinger 6, Quinahan 0, Lao 0.
Alaska 94 - Simpson 25, De Vance 16, BAguio 13, Thoss 12, Tenorio 9, Fonacier 8,Hugnatan 6, Dela Cruz 6, Eman 1, Robinson 0, Cariaso 0.
Quarterscores: 28-29, 44-52, 69-71, 100-94
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