Talk ’N Text stays unbeaten with win over Rain or Shine

Games today:

Araneta Coliseum

4:15 p.m.- San Mig Coffee vs. Barako Bull

6:30 p.m.- Barangay Ginebra vs. Alaska

The defending champions Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters rallied from a 13-point third quarter deficit to post a scrambling 80-77 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last night in an out-of-town game of the 38th PBA Philippine Cup in Victorias City, Negros Oriental.

Playing without top point guard Jayson Castro, who watched the game from the sideline with a heavily bandaged left hand, the Texters survived an ugly offensive game to remain the only unbeaten team in the league with their sixth straight victory.

Larry Fonacier snatched the Best Player of the Game award by scoring seven of his 12 points in the pivotal period.

Fonacier bled for his points and struggled heavily from the freethrow area, where he just made two of his nine attempts.

Fonacier missed two free throws in the final 2.4 seconds that gave Rain or Shine the chance to force overtime but Cebuano JR Quiñahan’s desperation three-point attempt went awry as time ran out.

For failing to protect a 53-40 lead in the third, the Painters absorbed their second loss in six games.

Meanwhile, former Alaska backcourt general LA Tenorio faces his former team when the slumping Barangay Ginebra Kings take on the streaking Aces in today’s main game at the Araneta Coliseum.

Tenorio was credited for Ginebra’s early success in the tournament when it strung up two straight wins. But it has been downhill for Ginebra since its 98-84 win over Rain or Shine last Oct. 7 as it dropped its next three games to fall to 2-3 (win-loss).

In contrast, Tenorio’s former team has gone on a mini-tear after losing their first two games.

The Aces sealed their third straight win last Friday when they downed the Air21 Express, 92-81, and tied the Meralco Bolts at the third spot in the standings with identical 3-2 cards.

Jvee Casio, who was acquired by the Aces along with Dondon Hontiveros in a blockbuster deal that sent Tenorio to Ginebra, paced the Aces in that win with  19 points despite suffering from a bum stomach.

Hontiveros scored 15 points in that match while prized rookie Calvin Abueva had his second straight double-double performance with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

In the first game, the San Mig Coffee Mixers and Barako Bull Energy Cola collide with both teams looking to bounce back from tough losses.

San Mig Coffee (2-2) is coming off a sorry 79-80 loss to Rain or Shine in a game that saw James Yap getting tossed out in the closing minutes for a flagrant foul infraction.

Barako Bull (2-3) is likewise coming from a heart-breaking debacle as it fell short against Talk ’N Text last Wednesday, 76-79.