Texters survive Beermen rally for 2-0 series lead

A match-up earlier predicted to be too close to call is fast turning out to be a one-sided affair in favor of Talk 'N Text. The Tropang Texters pulled away from a hotly-contested Game 2 behind a scorching fourth-quarter run to repeat over the suddenly embattled San Miguel Beermen, 110-102, Wednesday night at the Astrodome, thus moving halfway through clinching the PBA Philippine Cup title. Jared Dillinger poured in a personal season-high-tying 20 points and was instrumental in that huge get-away by the Tropang Texters in the pivotal fourth in connivance with Ranidel de Ocampo and Jason Castro. But the Tropang Texters didn’t have the win in the bag until Ali Peek scored off a big offensive rebound to weather a furious San Miguel comeback, 105-100. Peek then had a key block on Jay Washington at the other end, which Castro converted into a fastbreak lay-up to make it a seven-point Talk `N Text lead in the final 42 seconds. Talk `N Text now leads the best-of-seven title series, 2-0, and will try to bury San Miguel in the Finals by going for another win in Game 3 set Friday at the Araneta Coliseum. “It’s important for us to win today’s game because we wouldn’t have Ryan (Reyes) next game," said Talk `N Text coach Chot Reyes, referring to his soft-spoken playmaker who had to leave for the U.S. shortly after the match to attend his's brother burial. Castro, De Ocampo and Alapag finished with 15 points each for the Tropang Texters, who have now won 13 straight games at the Astrodome. They haven’t lost at the playing venue since Game 5 of the 2008-09 Philippine Cup Finals against Alaska. The frustrating defeat marked the first time San Miguel lost back-to-back games this season. Unlike in its 91-82 loss in the series opener, Jay Washington was cramps-free this time, finishing the game with a team-high 20 points. Alex Cabagnot added 18, all in the second half, including 10 in the fourth when he rallied San Miguel from as much as an 84-97 deficit in the final six minutes. Cabagnot’s teardrop shot off the outstretched arms of Dilinger had the Beermen threatening at 100-103 in the final 82 seconds, before Peek came off with his brilliant moves on both ends of the floor to seal the deal for the Tropang Texters. Larry Fonacier scored seven of his points in a 10-0 run by Talk `N Text in the third period when it appeared ready to rip the game apart, 52-40. But the Beermen answered back and made it a 60-61 contest behind a pair of free throws by Danny Ildefonso. Talk `N Text led, 73-69, entering the final quarter. The Tropang Texters held a slim 42-40 lead at the end of the tightly-fought first half. The Beermen could have knotted the count had Paul Artadi not been called for a traveling violation just before the halftime buzzer. Dondon Hontiveros cooled down in the second quarter after erupting for eight points in the opening period on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor. The Cebuano guard, who went to score only two points in the second half, capped his first-quarter act by firing two three-point shots, including one from deep right corner that made it 15-11 for San Miguel with 5:29 to play. – KY, JVP, GMANews.TV