Talk ’N Text levels series with 99-92 win
MANILA: Ranidel de Ocampo and Jason Castro quietly went about their jobs while all of the roughness was taking place on the floor on Wednesday night and got Talk ‘N Text back in the mix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title series.
De Ocampo and Castro each fired 20 points in the final two frames and helped the Tropang Texters hold off Rain or Shine, 99-92, that squared the best-of-seven championship playoffs at 2-all after the roughest game of the series yet at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
The two national team mainstays combined for 58 points, never losing focus even with a bench-clearing incident taking place at the 9:47 mark of the fourth period that resulted in the ejection of three players.
“It was a rough game, and it’s getting more physical,” Talk 'N Text coach Jong Uichico said. “It’s rough basketball already. This one is different, it’s borderline, like almost having a brawl every single moment.”
Talk ‘'N Text got a huge break early in the second period after Rain or Shine import Wayne Chism was slapped with his fourth foul off a driving De Ocampo.
“We just lost Wayne for too many minutes,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said. “He got called for his fourth (foul) very early, and it was a ticky-tacky foul. We tried to hold on and, for a while, we did a good job.
“But for sure, the other team, at some point, will be able to take advantage,” Guiao continued. “That’s the major part of the story for today. That’s the way they can win, they need to have our import in foul trouble.”
Chism, just a few hours after being named the tournament’s Best Import, was on the floor for just over 26 minutes and contributed only 13 points on 2-for-10 shooting from the field.
“It was not a fair (first) 2-1/2 quarters (officiatingwise),” Guiao added.
Ivan Johnson finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Larry Fonacier was the fourth player in twin digits for the Texters with 10.
Game 5 is set for Friday night also at the storied Big Dome floor and both coaches are anticipating an even uglier game — and remainder of the series for that matter.
“It’s intense, but not this rough,” Uichico answered when asked if he had ever been part of a bruising championship series like this one in his multi-titled career. “They (league officials) see it. I don’t have to talk about it. “It’s happening right in front of our eyes.” Rain or Shine managed to tug at the coattails of the Texters even with Chism playing less than 10 minutes in the first half.
The Elasto Painters, who were booted out by the Texters in the Final Four here last season, managed to close out the first half staring at just a 42-41 deficit even with Chism scoring just one free throw.
De Ocampo then scored 13 in the third and Castro seven and Johnson had 10 of his total in the third period as the Texters established control before going on to lead by as large as 14.
And when the Painters tried coming back in the fourth, it was Castro’s turn to sting Rain or Shine with 13 of his points, including a layup with 3:22 to go that made it 94-83.
Chris Tiu paced the Painters with a career-high 21 points and Paul Lee, playing with a temporary tooth and a mouth guard as a result of the nasty hit he got from Johnson in Game 3, scored 17.
Meanwhile, Castro won his third Best Player of the Conference award before tip-off on Wednesday over Rain or Shine’s super point guard Lee.
After topping the statistical points race, Castro got the nod from the players and the PBA and swept all 34 media votes for a total of 1,164 points. Lee, who was named as the second choice in 33 of the media ballots, tallied 782.
Chism, on the other hand, finished second to Purefoods’ Denzel Bowles in the SP race but dominated voting, winning the Best Import trophy handily over Johnson with 1,160 points.
Johnson amassed 873 points.