TALK ‘N Text rediscovered its winning form to pummel defending champion San Mig, 112-86 in Game Three and stay alive day in their PBA Governors Cup semifinal series on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
A Texters side that couldn't do anything right in Game Two came back to life on Monday, hitting three-pointers with regularity, executing flawlessly and pouncing on every San Mig miscue to avoid a sorry end to its season.
Instead, team officials who came out in full force for Game Three, led by Manny V. Pangilinan, were rewarded with a convincing win that cut the Tropang Texters' deficit to 1-2 in the best-of-five series.
Ranidel de Ocampo exploded for 24 points, hitting four of five three-point attempts in a strong bounce-back game following his nine-point performance in Game Two, where he shot a horrendous 3-of-12 from the field.
As a team, Talk 'N Text made 14 three-pointers and shot 50.6 percent from the floor as it impeded San Mig's quest for a fourth successive trip to a league finals.
Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black gave credit to his second stringers led by Danny Seigle who he said propped up his starters after the team was thoroughly outplayed in Game Two.
“The players that I called responded well tonight. It was just a decision to let everybody play,” said Black, who had six players scoring in double-figures.
“Fortunately for me tonight, everybody played well. And that’s probably the reason for the result.”
Black said the key to the team’s 26-point rout had a lot to do with their deliberate effort to move the ball and patiently executing their offense.
“The one thing that had been going for us is we really played as a team offensively. Nobody was holding the ball but guys were looking to make the extra pass,” he added as the Texters dominated the assists department, 30-18.
Peter June Simon led the way with 18 points for the reigning Governors Cup champions, who rested starters James Yap, Marc Pingris and Marqus Blakely for much of the second half.
Game Three is set on Wednesday.
The scores:
Talk N Text 112 - De Ocampo 24, Castro 14, Seigle 13, Harris 12, Alapag 11, Espiritu 10, Williams 6, Reyes 4, Fonacier 4, Aban 2, Reyes 2, Carey 2, Baclao 0.
San Mig Coffee 86 - Simon 18, Devance 11, Blakely 8, Taha 8, Pingris 7, Mallari 7, Barroca 6, Sanggalang 6, Yap 4, Maliksi 3, Gaco 3, Matias 2, Melton 2, Reavis 1, Holstein 0.
Quarters: 20-21; 53-37; 85-64; 112-86.
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