B-Meg wins game 1
After squandering several double-digit leads, the B-Meg Llamados tightened up the defensive screws in the fourth quarter to pull off an, 88-82 win over the defending champions Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters at the start of their best-of-seven championship showdown of the 37th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum last night.
As the Llamados went hard on defense, PJ Simon took care of the team’s offensive attack as he scored eight of his 18 points in the pivotal fourth period.
The Texters trailed the Llamados for most part of the first half, including a 14-25 deficit at the end of the first period.
B-Meg still led at the bend, 48-40, before Talk ’N Text got their dreaded offense going in the third.
The Texters outscored the Llamados in the third, 27-14, to go up by five entering the final quarter, 67-62.
Just as the Texters started to feel good, the Llamados went to work on defense as they held their opponent without a field goal until the 4:53 mark of the fourth.
B-Meg started the fourth with five unanswered points to tie the contest then Simon scored four straight points that put the Llamados on top for good, 71-68.
Talk ’N Text’s lone point in that stretch came from a split free throw by import Donnel Harvey.
Joe De Vance’s three-pointer stretched the Llamados lead to 74-68. Harvey completed another split free throw but Simon scored again a made free throw by James Yap handed the Texters a 77-69 edge.
Jared Dillinger made the Texters’ first field goal in the fourth and the game became a little bit interesting when Jimmy Alapag hit a triple that pulled the Texters within four, 82-86, with 44.6 seconds remaining.
The Texters, however, went unsuccessful in two crucial offensive plays inside the final 30 seconds while Yap and Marc Pingris split their respective trips at the stripe to ice the win for the Llamados.
Dismal free-throw shooting doomed the Texters as they only 16 of their 36 free throw attempts. The Llamados didn’t shoot good either as they went 11-for-22 from the stripe.
