Texters oust Aces, stay alive

TEAM STANDINGS:
 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters: 5-1
 B-Meg Llamados: 5-1
 Powerade Tigers: 4-2
 Barako Bull Energy: 3-2
 Petron Blaze Boosters: 3-3
 Brgy. Ginebra Kings: 3-3
 Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters: 2-3
 Meralco Bolts: 2-4
 Air21 Express: 1-4
 Alaska Aces: 1-6
 
GAMES SUNDAY
(Smart-Araneta Coliseum)
4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. Barako Bull
6:30 p.m. – Petron Blaze vs. B-Meg
 
 
Fighting for their dear lives, it was Talk ‘N Text which proved hungrier Saturday night.

The Tropang Texters turned up the heat in the middle quarters but were still forced to survive a late-game uprising from Alaska Aces en route to a scrambling 80-72 win that bolstered their playoff chances in the PBA Governors Cup at the Mindanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

Import Paul Harris finished with a game-high 27 points and 17 rebounds while Larry Fonacier fired 13 of his 17 points in the first half to help the well-rested but injury-plagued Tropang Texters get back on their winning ways and gain their second win in five outings.

The Aces, who enjoyed a strong opening quarter showing, fell to their sixth loss in seven games and, in the process, bowed out of playoff contention early but not without putting up a whale of a fight.

Trailing 22-16 entering the second period, the Texters clawed their way back, leaning mainly on Harris and Fonacier who combined for 15 points that totally scored the Aces’ 13-point quarter output en route to a 45-35 lead at the break.

Reportedly on his way out, Harris continued to flash his brilliance in the third, giving the Texters their initial whopping lead at 64-43 off two made charities from a Mac Baracel foul.

Just when the Texters appeared to be in cruise control after Japeth Aguilar sank two free throws for a 73-53 spread with nine minutes left, the Aces suddenly hit their full stride as import Jason Forte conspired with Gabby Espinas, Sonny Thoss and Baracael in a 13-to-nothing run that pulled them within 66-73, time down to just 3:43.

Harris snapped the Texters’ six-minute scoring drought with a put-back but Forte answered with six straight points that brought the Aces within three at 72-75 with just 1:15 left.

Off a timeout, Ranidel de Ocampo restored order as he delivered a dagger of a trey off a pass from Jimmy Alapag, padding the Texters lead to six, 78-72 with 65 ticks remaining.

LA Tenorio, who struggled all game long, muffed a trey then Jayson Castro sealed the win for Talk ‘N Text with a driving lay-up followed by an equally-crucial steal in the other end.

De Ocampo tallied nine points while Kelly Williams had eight markers for the Texters, fresh from a 12-day break since absorbing a 105-110 defeat against Powerade last June 3 and are still missing the services of Ryan Reyes and Jared Dillinger.

Forte collected a team-best 24 points while Baracel had 20 markers, half of them coming in the first 24 minutes, in a losing cause for the Aces.
 
 
The Scores:
 
TALK ‘N TEXT 80 – Harris 25, Fonacier 16, de Ocampo 9, Williams 8, Aguilar 6, Castro 4, Peek 4, Gamalinda 3, Aban 3, Alapag 2.
 
ALASKA 73 – Forte 24, Baracael 20, Espinas 8, Thoss 6, Eman 5, Baguio 5,  Custodio 2,  Dela Cruz 2, Tenorio 0, Jazul 0, Cablay 0.
 
Quarterscores: 16-22, 45-35, 66-49, 80-72