Talk ‘N Text and Ginebra try to arrange a dream title duel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as they go for the kill Wednesday night in their respective semifinals series at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Texters, the No. 1 seeded team, try to finish off Air21 Express in their 5 p.m. encounter, while the Kings hope to shut the door on Smart Gilas when they tangle in the main game at 7:30 p.m.
Both the Kings and Tropang Texters hold commanding 2-0 leads in their respective Final Four pairings.
In the event they make short work of their opponents, Talk `N Text and Ginebra will be squaring off in the Finals for only the second time in league history. They met in the 2005 Philippine Cup championship which the Kings won, 4-2, under then coach Siot Tanquingcen.
Only three teams have come back from a 0-2 deficit and win a best-of-five
series — the legendary Crispa ballclub (1975), Purefoods (1990) and, yes, Ginebra (2010), which ironically beat Talk `N Text in the Fiesta Cup quarterfinals.
The experience certainly taught a lesson to Talk `N Text coach Chot Reyes.
“As you all know, we can’t be satisfied. We already lost a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series," said Reyes, recalling his team’s heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Kings last year, marred by that infamous Game 4 walkout.
“It’s still a dangerous situation. This team (Air21) takes pride in winning do-or-die games."
The Tropang Texters have been nothing short of dominant in the semis, beating the Express by an average of 12.5 points in the first two games of the series, including a runaway 114-96 victory in Game 2.
Despite the gigantic task ahead, the Express remain optimistic about pulling off this one, having gone 4-0 this conference when facing ouster, especially during the final stretch of the eliminations.
“Who knows? Baka pwede pa. Only God knows," said Air21 coach Bong Ramos.
“For us to beat them, we really have to bring not just our A-game, but our A-plus game."
Smart Gilas also need to have the same mentality, especially after having lost two games against Ginebra down the stretch, when the Kings’ vast experience obviously stood out as the big difference in the tightly-fought series.
“Ginebra has the big advantage, but we still have a chance," said Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman. “We were not in the level that we should be in the first two games, but I hope we could change that with some minor corrections."
Toroman noted how the Kings were awarded 45 free throws in the Nationals’ 110-103 loss in Game 2, 35 of which Ginebra converted, including 23 by import Nate Brumfield.
The stocky Brumfield finished with a season-high 45 points.
“I do know how to defend a player who gets 27 free throw attempts," said the Serbian mentor. “But I do not know how to beat a team that has many free throw attempts."
Ginebra coach Jong Uichico and gunner Mark Caguioa go into the game fresh from fines slapped on them by the league — Uichico for making statements considered detrimental to the league, and which cost him P30,000, and Caguioa for a flagrant foul 2 and an F1 against Marcio Lassiter worth P15,000. - KY, RCJ, GMA News
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