PBA: Ginebra defeats Talk 'N Text, sets finals date with Alaska

(Updated 9:25pm) Barangay Ginebra San Miguel will be taking their never-say-die act to the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals, after defeating the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, 111-103, on Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Down 2-1 in their semifinals series, Ginebra banked on two straight victories to set up a duel with the Alaska Aces. This time, they were led by LA Tenorio who exploded for 28 points. He made eight of his 13 field goals from inside the three-point line while also converting 12-of-14 free throws.

"This game is for LA," said a victorious Alfrancis Chua. "Pinakita niya talaga na pwede siyang maging Best Player of the Conference."

Tenorio was backed up by import Vernon Macklin and Mac Baracael who scored 22 and 21 points, respectively.

The Barangay used a big second quarter to establish their distance against the Tropang Texters. Although Talk 'N Text gamely fought back in the second half, their line-up was simply too slim to mount a comeback from that big a deficit. The Tropang Texters lost Kelly Williams early in the conference and Jared Dillinger early in the semis. They also played without Jimmy Alapag and Ranidel De Ocampo at the tail-end of the series, heavily hurting their chances.

Ginebra, on the other hand, finally regained their superstar, as Mark "The Spark" Caguioa checked in with only 34 seconds left in the game to the delight of the crowd.

"Every time maraming in foul trouble sa team, I'll look at the bench. Kung sinong maganda yung titig sa akin, pinapasok ko," Chua explained. "Nakita ko yung mata ni Mark. Nakita ko na gusto talaga niyang pumasok kaya pinagbigyan ko siya."

Caguioa scored two free throws to help the Kings stave off Talk 'N Text's last ditch effort.

"We owe it to the fans. They're the reason why we're here in the first place. By putting Mark in the court, sobrang napasaya yung fans," Chua added.

Down by 20 big points at the half, the Tropang Texters made a run in the third quarter through the efforts of Jayson Castro and Tony Mitchell.

"Kinakabahan ko e, pero nung nakita ko yung mata ng mga players, kalmado lang sila kaya naging kalma na rin ako," Chua said about TNT's run.

Mac Baracael opened the game with a three-point shot at the 11:00 mark of the first. LA Tenorio then made two free throws before Baracael scored again for a 7-0 lead. The Tropang Texters then countered with a 6-0 run before Vernon Macklin scored his first basket for a 9-6 count in Ginebra's favor.

Aaron Aban nailed a corner three with 3:12 left in the first quarter to bring the Tropang Texters to within a point of the Kings. Macklin however bumped Ginebra's lead back up to four points with an and-one play for a 20-16 count.


Ginebra got two triples late in the first quarter to extend their lead. The first came from Josh Urbiztondo and the second was a buzzer-beater from Baracael for a 28-17 spread at the end of the first quarter.

BGSM exploded in the second quarter thanks largely to the efforts of Tenorio and Macklin, who combined for 19 points in the period. Ginebra shot 43.5 percent from the field while limiting the TNT to a paltry 29.2 percent. Tempers flared late in the second quarter as the two imports got in each other's faces for a double technical. The TNT coaching staff felt that they got the raw end of the deal as Macklin had pushed Mitchell.

Just like how they did the first quarter, the Barangay scored on a three-point shot just before the break, this time care of Jayjay Helterbrand, to build a 61-41 lead at halftime.

TNT import Tony Mitchell led all scorers at the half with 17 points, but he also needed 17 shots for that tally. After Mitchell, none of the Tropang Texters scored in double digits. John Ferriols was their second leading scorer at the break with six points.

Ginebra, on the other hand, was led by Tenorio who had 16. Macklin and Baracael backed him up with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

The Tropang Texters wasted no time in overhauling the huge Ginebra lead. Jayson Castro swooped in for a lay-up at the 8:12 mark to cut the lead to 11 at 65-54. After three straight points from Macklin and Baracael, Castro made two more baskets to trim the deficit to just 10 points.

A reverse lay-up from Aban and a free throw from Ferriols got the Tropang Texters within seven points at 72-65. On the rebound play, Macklin threw down Aban and was whistled for a flagrant foul, but it was later downgraded to a regular foul. A flagrant foul would have caused an automatic ejection, as Macklin already had a technical foul under his name.

Aban made one of his free throws for a 72-66 score still in Ginebra's favor.

After two missed free throws from Mitchell, which would have trimmed Ginebra's lead down to just four points, Macklin scored down low to regain an eight-point lead for the Barangay.

A jumper from Helterbrand and free throws from Baracael then gave Ginebra a 78-69 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Three's from Reyes and Mitchell kept the Tropang Texters in the game late, but Raymundo scored back-to-back baskets followed by a Baracael three at the 8:22 mark for an 87-75 lead.

The Tropang Texters then went on a 6-0 run for an 87-81 count. However, the Kings also went on a 6-0 counter-run of their own to re-establish a 12-point buffer, 93-81, halfway into the final quarter.

Helterbrand and Tenorio combined for two big baskets for another 12-point lead for Ginebra, 97-85, with only 3:24 left in the game. Tenorio then sank the dagger a minute later with a coast-to-coast lay-up.


With the game's result no longer in question, Chua fielded in Mark Caguioa, who converted two free throws. He was also the one who held the game ball as the clock expired to officially signify their entry to the Finals.

Mitchell led all scorers with 42 points in the game on 12-of-35 shooting. Castro added 15 while Peek and Reyes chimed in with 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Tropang Texters severely missed the scoring of Larry Fonacier who only had three points under his name.

The Tropang Texters out-rebounded their foes 61-55, but they only made 37.4 percent of their field goals. Ginebra enjoyed a big advantage in the free throw department as they converted on 39 of their 52 attempts, while Talk 'N Text only made 26 of their 41.

Ginebra finished seventh in the elimination round but they managed to get past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, who held a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters. The Barangay did the same thing against the Tropang Texters, with twin victories despite their backs against the wall.

The first game of the Commissioner's Cup Finals will be on Wednesday, May 15, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Tip off will be at 7:30pm. - RAF, GMA News


The scores:

GINEBRA 111 - Tenorio 28, Macklin 22, Baracael 21, Helterbrand 15, Raymundo 13, Hatfield 6, Urbiztondo 3, Caguioa 2, Ellis 1, Mamaril 0.

TALK N' TEXT 103 - Mitchell 42, Castro 15, Peek 11, Reyes 10, Ferriols 9, Aban 8, Fonacier 3, Al-Hussaini 2, Carey 2, Raymundo 1, Gamalinda 0, Alvarez 0, Alapag 0.

Quarters: 27-18, 61-41, 78-69, 111-103


SOURCE: GMAnetwork.com

iba ang nangyayari ngayon playoffs, kung sino yun mga team na hindi manalo-nalo sa ibang team nun eliminations eh sila tong nananalo ngayon playoffs, at sana this time manalo na tayo din sa aces na hindi natin nagawa talunin nun eliminations...

the good thing about this match-up, nagkaroon na ng kumpyansa ang ibang players like baracael, jj and kerby... na dati nun eliminations eh ang panget ng performance, hindi kagandahan ang laro nila nun kalaban natin ang aces nun patapos na ang eliminations, pero ngayon ang aces walang pinagbago sa kanila... i mean ganun pa rin yun pinapakita nila katulad nun elims, pero ang taas ng morale ng team na to, kaya hindi din easy ang series na to... kaya sana manalo tayo...