Alapag, Cabagnot to play crucial roles in Game 7

For most of the series, the toast of the town has been the clutch performance of Petron guard, Alex Cabagnot.

However, for one game, the lefty gunner switched places with Talk ‘N Text point man and reigning MVP Jimmy Alapag, who breathed new life into the title-defense of the Tropang Texters.

Alapag, who fell three rebounds short of an incredible triple-double with 29 points, seven rebounds  and 10 assists in Game 6,  powered the Texters to a 111-108 win over Petron that tied their semifinal series at 3-3 after they trailed, 1-3.

Game 7 will be played tomorrow at the Cuneta Astrodome.

“Chris Lutz, Arwind Santos and Alex Cabnagnot, they played a huge role and they put us in a hole. But we’ve got to keep on fighting until we can’t fight anymore, ” remarked Alapag after the match.

Alapag, one of the smallest players to ever win the MVP award, played bigger than anybody else in Game 6. And it came at the perfect time for the Tropang Texters, who have two ailing key players likely to miss the do-or-die game tomorrow.

“For the first time in my 10-year career, this is the only time I suffered nagging injuries. You know me, I always want to go out there and play. But we’re happy to be back in the series and find ourselves one step away from getting to the Finals,” added Alapag.

While Alapag is getting back his rhythm and shot, his Petron counterpart, Cabagnot, has slowly fading away to the background.

Cabagnot, who went 0-of-5 from the field in his team’s 93-91 loss to Talk ‘N Text in Game 5, struggled again.

Although he finished with 18 points, he went 1-of-6 from beyond the arc and made only 2-of-5 shots from the two-point region. Worse, the normally cool and calculating lefty guard missed two crucial shots and turned the ball over in the closing seconds of Game Six. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio