Pumped-up Beermen rip Texters in Game Three

Inspired by the words of its long-time leader, San Miguel finally played with energy and confidence to make a series out of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. The Beermen, who got an encouraging message from retiring team captain Olsen Racela right before the start of Game 3, whipped the Talk `N Text Tropang Texters, 103-82, for the most lopsided outcome yet of the all-Filipino best-of-seven titles series Friday night at the Araneta Colisuem.

The first win in the championship round by the league’s winningest franchise had San Miguel cutting the series deficit to 1-2. The Beermen now prime up for the equalizer in Sunday’s Game 4 also at the Big Dome. “Part of my goal was to motivate the team," said the 40-year-old Racela, who was given a tribute by sister teams San Miguel and Derby Ace before he retires as a player and becomes a part of the Beermen’s coaching staff. “I tried my best not to get emotional and cry. I got them all fired up." Answering the call for the Beermen were Arwind Santos who paced the team with 20 points, Jay Washington with 15 rebounds and 10 markers, and veteran two-time league MVP Danny Ildefonso, who added 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as part of the team’s starting unit. Racela himself played extended minutes and stayed in the playing court until the final buzzer to see the Beermen finally end their only losing streak this season. Having tasted blood, San Miguel coach Ato Agustin stressed that it’s now up to the Tropang Texters to rise to the challenge. “I think ang pressure nasa kanila (Texters)," he said. “Our energy was there, we sustained it and the lead. Maganda ang depensa namin. Kung nagawa nila ngayon, bakit hindi nila magagawa sa Game Four? Baka makadiretso pa kami diyan." But one good thing going for Talk ‘N Text in Game 4 would be the expected return of playmaker Ryan Reyes, who was not around Friday after flying to the U.S. on Wednesday to attend the burial of his younger brother, Allan Raymond, who was killed in a vehicular accident last week. The Beermen held a 47-36 lead at the half, an advantage they would extend to 62-44 following a 12-0 run in the first four minutes of the third period. The Tropang Texters never got their bearings after that, trailing by as much as 87-61 with 8:20 left in the lopsided match. Talk 'N Text’s total output was 28 points lower than its Game 2 score when it dealt San Miguel a 110-102 setback. The loss was also the worst for the telecommunication franchise since a rout at the hands of Ginebra, 105-82, on Jan. 6, 2010. The Tropang Texters failed to match the Beermen’s energy as they got clobbered off the boards, 41-57, and had fewer assists in the series for the first time, 13-20. The guard combo of Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro finished with 13 points each to show the way for Talk `N Text. - JVP, KY, GMANews.TV