Ginebra, Talk ‘n Text face each other anew in do-or-die match

Game today

Cuneta Astrodome

7:15 p.m.- Talk ‘N Text vs. Ginebra

They may have struggled all tournament long but the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters still have a chance to make it to the playoffs after they tripped the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 113-99, last night in the final elimination round play date of the 38th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The gigantic victory sets up a do-or-die showdown between the two squads today. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals with a twice-to-win handicap against the number-one seed Petron Blaze Boosters.

Talk ‘N Text’s victory put to waste the victory of the Air21 Express, who earlier shocked the Alaska Aces, 121-107.

The Express’ only chance of making it to the playoffs was for Talk ‘N Text to beat Ginebra by at least 22 points. If that happened, it would have been the Express playing the Texters in a do-or-die game today while eliminating the Gin Kings.

Air21, Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text all finished the elimination round with 3-6 (win-loss) cards but the Express got the boot owing to their inferior quotient.

The loss to Air21 was painful for Alaska, which finished the initial round with four wins and five defeats.

The Aces went into the match looking for a win that would hand them the fourth spot and the last twice-to-beat edge.

Instead, the Aces fell all the way down to seventh spot and will have a twice-to-win disadvantage against the number two seed San Mig Coffee Mixers.

The other quarterfinal pairings will have the Meralco Bolts (3rd seed) against the GlobalPort Batang Pier (6th seed) and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (4th seed) versus the Barako Bull Energy Colas (5th seed).