source: Waylon Galvez | mb.com.ph
Talk ’N Text, bidding to become the first team to win successive All-Filipino titles in 25 years, sits in the middle of the standings in the current KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.
With a 4-3 win-loss record, the Texters are in fifth spot – not exactly the way they wanted to be in, but not a reason to press the panic button.
“Every game from hereon is big,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes on the eve of their match with Barangay Ginebra.
The Texters clash with the Kings at 7:30 p.m. following the 5 p.m. tussle between Rain or Shine and Coca-Cola at the Araneta Coliseum.
Both the Texters and the Kings are coming off losses.
TNT bowed to Alaska Milk, 110-106, last Friday while Ginebra saw its three-game winning streak halted by Sta. Lucia Realty, 93-72, last Wednesday.
The Kings are in solo third place with a 5-2 card.
Against Ginebra, Reyes said they must hold their opponents to less than 100 points.
“As usual, we must shore up on “D”to limit Ginebra’s scoring. Our three losses, so far, have come from teams scoring 100 points or more, although we averaged close to 100 ourselves in those defeats,” Reyes added.
The Kings will continue to miss the services of Mark Caguioa (knee injury) and Sunday Salvacion (calf muscle).
Ginebra coach Jong Uichico will have to get maximum performance from reigning MVP Jayjay Helterbrand, Ronald Tubid, Cyrus Baguio, and Rico Villanueva.
“We are playing one of the top four teams in the league,” Uichico said. “There’s no doubt that Talk ’N Text has depth and firepower. We need to sustain all we have for 48 minutes.”
Reyes will rely on top scorer Mark Cardona, playmaker Jimmy Alapag, as well as Renren Ritualo, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jared Dillinger, Ali Peek, Harvey Carey, and Jason Castro.
The first match also pits teams trying to rebound from setbacks.
Rain or Shine lost to Purefoods, 69-103, last Nov. 15, two days after handing Alaska its first loss (86-81), while Coke lost to San Miguel Beer, 84-107, over the weekend in Cebu City.
The Elasto Painters must conjure the magic that enabled them to advance to the semis last conference if they want to improve their 1-7 record.
The Elasto Painters also absorbed a stinging 91-84 loss to Smart-Gilas national team that infuriated team owners Raymund Yu and Terry Que.
Coke coach Kenneth Duremdes said veteran center Asi Taulava will be absent for the sixth straight game. The 6-foot-9 Taulava sprained his left ankle last Oct. 18 against Barako Bull.
Games this Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum) Nov 25
5 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs. Coca-Cola
7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs. Talk ’N Text
No comments:
Post a Comment