Defending champion Talk ’N Text eyes rare sweep against struggling Rain or Shine squad
Game today:
Araneta Coliseum
6:45 p.m.- Talk ‘N Text vs. Rain or Shine
What was predicted to be a close championship series has turned out to be a one-sided affair.
A clean sweep even looms in the horizon as the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters look to finish off the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 4 of the 38th PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finals tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.
Statistics favor the Texters as no team has ever come back from a 0-3 series deficit.
“We put ourselves in a position to score a sweep. And so we’ll definitely go for it Wednesday,” said Talk ’N Text coach Norman Black in a pba.ph report.
Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao is even resigned to the fact that overhauling Talk ’N Text’s imposing lead is a punch to the moon.
“We’ll just try to delay their party or celebration,” said Guiao.
When asked if he still confident that his team could become the first team to make history by overhauling a 0-3 series deficit, Guaio had this to say: “History? Ni hindi nga kami makaisa eh.”
In the first three games of the series, it all boiled down to who had the poise to close out games and obviously, it was the Talk ‘N Text team that was able to do that.
The first three games went through similar scripts: Talk ’N Text building early sizable leads then Rain or Shine would rally in the endgame only to fall short at the finish.
Talk ‘N Text is looking to become the first team in three decades to win three-straight All-Filipino crown and is gunning for its sixth title in franchise history.
Preceding Game 4 is the awarding of the Best Player of the Conference accolade. Owing to his strong showing in the title series, Talk ‘N Text guard Jasyson Castro is likely to edge out Alaska’s rookie Calvin Abyeva for the award.
At the end of the semifinal round, Abueva was ranked second in the statistical races with 31.0 statistical poinst, Castro was at fourth with 29.6 (sps) followed by teammate Ranidel De Ocampo awith 27.8.
The players’ statistics is equivalent to 40 percent in criteria in choosing the BPC awardee, 30 percent for the media votes, 25 percent players’ votes, and five percent from the Commissioner’s Office.
