Texters streak to 13th straight win, outlast Beermen in road game

Add defending champion San Miguel to Talk `N Text’s growing list of victims in the PBA Fiesta Cup. Getting the big shots from Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag down the stretch, the Tropang Texters subdued the import-less Beermen, but not after overcoming a big endgame scare in an 85-82 win at the Victorias Sports and Amusement Center in Negros Occidental. A three-pointer by De Ocampo gave the league’s hottest team a six-point cushion in the final 76 seconds, before Alapag sank four straight free throws to seal the deal in a match pitting two of the league’s top teams. Their 13th straight win – the longest in the tournament – had the Tropang Texters retaining the top spot with a 14-2 card, with still two remaining games left in their elimination round campaign. They likewise avenged their 106-112 loss to the Beermen in the first round. De Ocampo bounced back from a lackluster game in the team’s 76-75 win over Alaska the last time, scoring a team-high 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Alapag and Harvey Carey had 15 points each. Back-to-back jumpers by De Ocampo, followed by a pressure-packed Alapag three-pointer put the Tropang Texters in front for good, 76-74, at the 3:00 mark of the pivotal fourth. The Beermen fell to 11-4 as they suffered their second straight loss in the season-ending meet. They remain in solo second, though. But they didn’t have import Gabe Freeman around as the versatile American was out with a flu. Still, the reigning champions gave the Tropang Texters a tough time as Danny Seigle played his best game of the conference by leading the team with 21 points, including five of the Beermen’s last five points. San Miguel actually had a shot of winning the game in the final 22 seconds and the team trailing, 81-80, as Talk `N Text missed two consecutive baskets and Carey failed to handle the leather as it went out of bounce. Unfortunately, Alex Cabagnot committed a blunder following an offensive foul, giving possession back to the Tropang Texters and resulting in two free throws by Alapag. After Arwind Santos cut made it 83-82 with 6.5 seconds, Alapag was sent to the foul line again, and the hot-shooting guard delivered by sinking both charities for the marginal count. Santos’ bid to send the game into overtime fell short as his desperate trey at the final buzzer didn’t even hit the rim. - RCJ, GMANews.TV