PBA: Talk ‘N Text rolls past Ginebra, 109-85

MANILA, Philippines – Talk ‘N Text put up a dominating performance against Barangay Ginebra, starting out strong before coasting to a 109-85 win Wednesday night in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. The win was a big leap forward in the Tropang Texters’ bid of earning one of the two outright semifinals slots as they upped their record to 10-7 and join Rain or Shine from second to third places. The win also erased TNT’s 96-93 loss to Purefoods last Sunday where they squandered a 17-point lead. This time, the Tropang Texters made sure there will be no more end-game collapse ending the first quarter with a 35-12 lead that ballooned further to a 34-point spread, 64-30, at halftime. Mark Cardona and Jimmy Alapag combined for 25 points in that first half leading Talk ‘N Text’s torrid shooting from the floor. TNT ended the first half with a 54 per cent clip, which is equivalent to a single game average of one team. Cardona paced the Tropang Texters with 21 points and six rebounds while Alapag added 17 markers behind a 5-of-6 shooting beyond the arc. The closest Ginebra could get is at 26 points, 94-68, behind Billy Mamaril’s five straight points in a Kings’ 16-8 exchange 6:01 to go before the final buzzer. But time was not on Ginebra’s side as Talk ‘N Text used up the clock while Alapag further doused the Kings’ chances of a comeback with his outside sniping. The loss dropped Ginebra’s record to 8-8. Despite the loss, the Kings are assured of a quarterfinal slot with two games left in its schedule. They join idle Ai21 Express from sixth to seventh places. Mamaril topped the Kings’ scoring with 17 points, four rebounds and two blocks. – GMANews.TV