The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters claimed their fourth win in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the expense of hapless Blackwater Elite. The result left Talk N’ Text level with sister team NLEX Road Warriors, with a 4-2 record. On the other hand, Blackwater suffered their fifth loss this conference, which left them level with the Mahindra Enforcers.
Both teams played see-saw basketball in the first half. Moala Tautuaa and Jayson Castro gave the Tropang Texters a 5-0 run to start the game, but a Carlo Lastimosa drive claimed a Blackwater lead 7-8. However, the Tropang Texters scored eight straight points to overtake at 15-8. Blackwater’s Raffy Reyes then scored five markers on his own to cut the deficit down to 21-22, but a Harvey Carey basket extended the Tropang Texters’ edge to 21-24. Afterwards, a Jason Ballesteros free throw and a Reil Cervantes move inside the paint equalized the ballgame 24-24 at the end of the first quarter.
Blackwater started the second quarter as the hotter team. An Art Dela Cruz shot from transition provided Blackwater with a 36-41 advantage. In spite of that, the Tropang Texters grabbed another 8-0 swing via rookie Troy Rosario, Larry Fonacier, and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser. Former Ateneo Blue Eagle JP Erram responded for Blackwater to cut the deficit to 44-46. Down 44-50, veteran guard Mike Cortez stepped up for Blackwater with seven points to give his team the halftime lead, 50-51.
It all started to go downhill for Blackwater in the third quarter. James Sena attacked the rim with a turnaround jumper to give Blackwater another five point lead at 56-61. After that, it was all Talk N’ Text. Fonacier scored a cold-blooded three to cap off the Tropang Texters 10-0 run that gave them a huge 71-61 cushion over Blackwater. The Tropang Texters eventually ended the third quarter 78-68 via a follow up from Carey.
Unwilling to rest on their laurels, Tautuaa and Fonacier stretched the Tropang Texters’ dominance over Blackwater, 86-70 at 9:56 in the fourth quarter. A trey from Castro then gifted the Tropang Texters a 91-72 lead off Blackwater. Erram, Sena, and Dela Cruz later sliced the deficit to thirteen, 83-96, but Kelly Williams came off the bench to restore the Tropang Texters’ control over Blackwater, 85-102.
Afterwards, Blackwater had a sprinkle of hope from Lastimosa as he cut their shortfall to eleven at 91-102. Nonetheless, a Castro jumper and Rosario dunk prevented any Blackwater comeback. The Tropang Texters killed the game and finally won 109-98.
Castro and Rosario led the Tropang Texters with 26 and 17 markers respectively, while Erram and Lastimosa made 18 each for Blackwater.
The Tropang Texters shall face the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on December 6, 2015 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum (5:15pm). Blackwater will continue to look for a win versus Globalport Batang Pier this Sunday (November 29, 2015; 3:00PM) also at Araneta.
Scores:
Talk ‘N Text (109) – Castro 26, Rosario 17, Fonacier 16, Tautuaa 16, Crey 11, Rosser 8, Williams 6, Miranda 3, Aban 2, Reyes J. 2, Seigle 2, Reyes R. 0.
Blackwater (98) – Erram 18, Lastimosa 18, Dela Cruz 13, Cortez 11, Reyes 9, Ballesteros 8, Cervantes 8, Sena 7, Gamalinda 6, Canada 0, Vosotros 0.
