01/27/2012
Game Today
(Araneta Coliseum)
6:45 p.m. – Talk ‘N Text vs. Powerade
(TNT leads, 3-0)
Gary David and Powerade slew their Goliaths in the quarter- and semifinal rounds.
But come the Finals of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, a whole new Goliath showed up.
David and company ran into a dynastic giant that just came off a near-fatal semifinal series, battle-scarred and all which emerged bullet-proof, machine gun-toting, unforgiving and championship-hungry — the kind of Goliath not prone to take any prisoners.
And now, after three battles, Talk ‘N Text has the Tigers’ throats in its hands, ready for that final squeeze of the jugular as it goes for a sweep of its best-of-seven playoff for the PBA Philippine Cup in Game 4 today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
But Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes has been consistent in warning about the ability of Powerade, which has turned out to be this season’s Cinderella team, to turn things around with its array of variables that range from 30-point games from David, to explosive games from prized rookies JV Casio and Marcio Lassiter or to surprise contributions from lesser-knowns Sean Anthony and Doug Kramer.
After all, Powerade’s biblical-like surge from the trenches felled the league’s No. 1 seed B-Meg in the quarterfinals when the Tigers were the least-seeded and needed to win twice to prevail — highlighted by a thrilling overtime win when David actually gestured that he felt fire searing from out of his hands in a 37-point effort.
Another slew of 30-point outputs from David and Lassiter, plus JV Casio’s formal claim to being the season’s Top Rookie, catapulted Powerade past heavily-favored Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals in a seven-game shootout.
As such, even after the Tropang Texters posted a 133-126 overtime win over Powerade Wednesday that gave them that 3-0 lead — an advantage in a best-of-seven playoff never before overturned in league history, Reyes continuously warned about how wounded Tigers could claw their way back.
After all, he and his Tropang Texters had been in similar dire straits just two weeks ago.
The Tropang Texters fell back at 1-3 against Petron Blaze in the semis, fought back with three nerve-wracking wins to prevail — only the third time in PBA annals that any team had been able to fight back from such a deficit to eventually win in a best-of-seven scenario.
And on top of that, there is also the growing concern about how Powerade has been coming closer to solving the problem that is Talk ‘N Text’s bullet-proof, full-battle-gear and war-weary ways.
“(The Tigers) played their hearts out. That’s always dangerous when they have nothing to lose. We know how Powerade feels and plays right now. That’s what happened in the semifinals to us,” he said.
Reyes added: “Like I said, we just have to keep our focus on the next game. Nothing else, just on the next game.”
Reyes’ apprehension may have not been unfounded.
After routing the Tigers, 116-100, without Casio around in Game 1 in Digos, Davao del Sur, the Tropang Texters had to dig deep into their bountiful manpower to eke out a 102-96 win in Game 2 last Monday.
Then came Wednesday’s 133-126 overtime win where they got the biggest scare of their lives when Powerade and JV Casio nearly completed their David-slew-Goliath stuff anew by pulling off the near-improbable — coming from three points down (118-121) in the last 3.3 seconds and with the Tropang Texters, themselves, in possession.
Seasoned veteran Ranidel de Ocampo issued a bad in-bound pass to Larry Fonacier near midcourt that went through his outstretched his hands. The ball was collared by Casio, just two feet from the three-point line and drilled in a three-point shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
It took the Tropang Texters’ jaded nerves in overtime to finally frustrate the Tigers. A scary escape, indeed.
But what Reyes didn’t mention — and perhaps, conveniently refused to discuss in a bid not to jinx where they are now — is that no team in PBA history has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series, let alone a PBA title in the process.
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