Llamados rout Tropang Texters in Game Five to take pivotal 3-2 lead in PBA Finals
The first four games of the 37th PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals saw the B-Meg Llamados and the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters alternate wins and losses.
The trend continued last night and the Llamados are just a win away from ending a two-year title drought as they blasted the Texters, 82-66, in Game Five of the best-of-seven series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
B-Meg now leads the series, 3-2, and will have a chance to nail the championship title in Friday’s Game Six.
B-Meg won games one and three, while Talk ’N Text dominated games two and four.
Leading into last nights game, Talk ’N Text were looking to become the first team to win back-to-back games in the series.
But James Yap didn’t allow that to happen. Yap had his finest game in the tournament, firing a career-high 30 points anchored on four-of-four shooting from the three-point land. Yap barely missed a double-double performance as he also got nine rebounds.
Import Denzel Bowles was also a dominant force for B-Meg, tallying 28 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots.
With a crucial 3-2 series up for grabs, the two teams fought toe-to-toe until the Llamados came up with a decisive run in the fourth that saw them establishing the game’s first double-digit lead, 66-56, in the last 7:45 mark.
B-Meg maintained a double-digit spread in the succeeding minutes before Talk ’N Text moved to within 64-75 with 3:09 left.
Bowles, however, single-handedly quelled Talk ’N Text’s run by scoring B-Meg’s last seven points, highlighted by two jumpshots.
Bowles and Yap combined for 20 of the Llamados 25 fourth quarter points.
