Jay R. Gotera
Saudi Gazette
MANILA — The Talk N Text Tropang Texters remained in the hunt for an automatic semifinals berth, beating the San Miguel Beermen, 107-101, Friday night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Texters thus ended their elimination round campaign with an 8-3 win-loss card, half a game behind the Beermen and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, both with an 8-2 card. The Painters earlier defeated the Alaska Aces in the first game of the Friday double-header.
The Texters’ hopes of grabbing the coveted semifinals slot rest on Ginebra (6-4) beating Rain or Shine Sunday. However, the Painters can secure the semis berth with a win. The Beermen are heavily favored to prevail over the winless Blackwater Elite in their final elimination round game Tuesday.
That win will allow SMB to book the second semis berth. TNT relied on the endgame heroics of Danny Seigle and Jay Washington to snap SMB’s five-game winning streak. Washington and Jayson Castro finished with a team-high 19 points apiece.
Seigle came off the bench to score 12 points, including two crucial baskets in the homestretch that gave the Texters the lead for good after trailing for most parts of the game.
Rookie Kevin Alas also shone for the Texters, scoring 12 points. Chris Lutz paced the Beermen with 25 points while Jun Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos finished with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Fajardo and Santos also combined for 21 rebounds.
Rain or Shine 98, Alaska 95
Rookie Jericho Cruz scored Rain or Shine’s last four points as the Elasto Painters edged the Alaska Aces, 98-95, in a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
Playing like a grizzled veteran, Cruz finished with 16 points, on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. Ten of his points came in the final quarter as Rain or Shine razed a six-point Alaska lead en route to its sixth straight win and eighth overall in 10 outings.
The win enhanced the Painters’ chances of bagging one of two outright semifinal berths. They could secure that berth with a win over the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings Sunday.
Alaska suffered a morale-zapping defeat, its second straight, as the former conference leader ended its elimination round campaign with an 8-3 win-loss card, losing its grip on a semis berth.
Paul Lee and Beau Belga were the other heroes for Rain or Shine. Lee led his team with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Belga finished with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Calvin Abueva paced Alaska with 18 points and eight rebounds. Eric Menk scored 16 points while Cyrus Baguio and JVee Casio finished with 12 points apiece.
Games Sunday: Kia Sorento vs. NLEX Road Warriors; Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
