PBA Semis: It's Over! Powerade battles Talk N Text in Finals

Championship feeling by Powerade Tigers beating B-Meg first and Rain or Shine in Game 7 Semis

        Two different stories but yet shares same agony of suffering before tasting the sweetness of success. Powerade, manages to be included in the quarter-finals and yet battling a big disadvantage over the No. 1 Seed B-Meg Llamados. They certainly overcame such a grueling climb in order to be in the Championship Finals. Meanwhile, the Talk N Text made a miraculous comeback from 1-3 deficit to book it's way to another crack at defending All-Filipino Crown.

         Powerade added one final chapter to its Cinderella story in the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup.The Tigers, who were characterized by Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao as a three-man team, proved the rival mentor wrong as they used sheer team effort to claim Game Seven, 107-98, Wednesday night at the jampacked Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. Powerade’s “Big Three” of Gary David, JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter drew plenty of help from their teammates to continue their magical ride and be the first No. 8 seed in PBA history to enter the finals. Casio had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, David finished with 24 points, and Lassiter added 17 points, seven rebounds and nine assists to power the Tigers to the best-of-seven championship series.

       “I don’t think we are any better than Rain or Shine. It’s just that it’s our time to be here,” said Powerade mentor Bo Perasol, who also drew 12 points and 15 rebounds from Doug Kramer. “I think the key here is getting those people who can really win for us. There’s no magical system. We just have people who are winners in their heart.” Celino Cruz and William Antonio each had 10 points for the Tigers, while Sean Anthony and Romel Adducul contributed on the defensive end.

       The Elasto Painters, meanwhile, need to wait a little longer to make it to the finals for the first time. Guiao had seven players scoring in double figures, led by JR Quinahan’s 16 points, but their perimeter game clicked too late when Powerade was already in control of the do-or-die game. The Tigers led by as much as 21 points, 82-61, on Lassiter’s three-pointer. Rain or Shine managed to cut the huge lead to eight points, 98-90, with 4:46 left, but Casio then completed a three-point play and Adducul followed up his own missed shot. The Elasto Painters cut the lead to seven points, 105-98, but David hit a 17-foot jumper to end all the doubts that Powerade is indeed the team of destiny.

       “Masayang-masaya. Second finals ko ito at motivation talaga namin ay gumawa ng history,” said David, whose 24 points were his lowest output in the playoffs, from the start of the Tigers’ quarterfinal series against top seed B-MEG.

       The lowest-seeded team to win a PBA title was San Miguel Beer. The No. 6 Beermen defeated Barangay Ginebra in the 2004-05 Fiesta Conference.

        Talk ‘N Text completed another pulsating 92-91 escape over Petron Blaze in Game Seven and marched into the finals of the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

         In a series where each game has been decided by one possession, luck smiled on the Tropang Texters as Ryan Reyes won a jumpball against Arwind Santos, allowing Kelly Williams to grab the biggest possession of the semis with just 3.7 seconds left. Talk ‘N Text fumbled on its last inbound play, allowing the Boosters to get a crack for a game-winner with 1.2 seconds left. But Alex Cabagnot’s long heave never had a chance as Petron ran out of luck and became the third team to blow a 3-1 lead in a seven-game series.

        “For any team that was able to come back from a 3-1 hole, it has to be something special,” said Tropang Texters coach Chot Reyes. “But to be fair, we poured our biggest effort tonight. And I think we won the series at the end of Game Four when we sat at the dugout in semi circle, looked at each other’s eyes and said we still have a chance.” Talk ‘N Text will play Powerade in the best-of-seven finals that starts this Friday in Digos City in Davao del Sur.

        Jason Castro led the defending champions with 21 points while Ranidel de Ocampo added 19. Jimmy Alapag contributed 14 points and seven assists. Ali Peek also came up big with 13 points and 11 rebounds, including two crucial offensive boards in the closing moments that allowed the Tropang Texters to have multiple possessions while holding a 92-91 lead. Alapag missed three three-point attempts that could have sealed the series but Danny Ildefonso, who hit a number of big shots in the series, also missed a shot that could have given the lead back to the Boosters. Reyes collared the rebound on Ildefonso’s missed jumper, but Santos forced a jumpball with 5.5 seconds left. Santos seemed to have the edge but Reyes beat him out on the toss as the ball went to Williams, who quickly called a timeout. Talk ‘N Text melted a couple of precious seconds before Peek turned the ball over with 1.2 ticks remaining. But Petron was out of timeouts and was forced to inbound from the far court. Cabagnot’s desperation shot was way off the target.

          “We can’t be satisfied beating Petron. There’s a bigger job to do,” said Reyes, who was the last coach to give the Coca-Cola franchise its last crown in the 2003 Reinforced Conference against San Miguel Beer.(source: interaktv.ph)

The scores:

First Game

Powerade 107 — Casio 25, David 24, Lassiter 17, Kramer 12, Cruz 10, Antonio 10, Anthony 5, adducul 4, Vanlandingham 0, Crisano 0.

Rain or Shine 98 – Quinahan 16, Lee 14, Chan 14, Norwood 13, Buenafe 12, Matias 10, Belga 10, Cruz 6, Rodriguez 2, Arana 1, Uyloan 0, Ibanes 0.

Quarters: 22-18; 52-39; 84-65; 107-98

Second Game

Talk ‘N Text 92 – Castro 21, De Ocampo 19, Alapag 14, Peek 13, Aguilar 6, Williams 6, Fonacier 5, Reyes 3, Dillinger 2, Carey 2, Alvarez 1, Gamalinda 0.

Petron 91 – Luts 23, Ildefonso 16, Yeo 14, Santos 12, Miranda 11, Cabagnot 8, Reyes 7, BAclao 0, Tugade 0.

Quarters: 19-28; 51-57; 81-73; 92-91