Llamados, Texters eye 3-2 lead

Game today:

Araneta Coliseum

6:45 p.m.- B-Meg vs. Talk ’N Text

A CRUCIAL 3-2 series lead will be up for grabs as the defending champions Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters and the B-Meg Llamados figure in a critical Game Five of the 37th PBA Commissioner’s Cup Best-of-Seven Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Talk ’N Text reduced the series to a best-of-three affair scoring a blowout 100-85 victory in last Sunday’s Game Four.

The 15-point win was the first double-digit victory scored by any team in the series but Talk ’N Text head coach Chot Reyes said the lopsided win doesn’t mean that they already have the edge in the series.

“Game 4 was the only game we’ve really won so far,” Reyes told pba.ph “We’re lucky to be tied 2-2. We need even better effort and energy to match B-Meg, which surely will go out with intensity in Game 5.”

B-Meg head coach Tim Cone said Game 5 is so crucial that his wards need not be distracted by the physicality of the game.

“It’s now down to a best-of-three so we have to put away all the extracurricular stuff that went on in the last game and refocus on what’s ahead,” said Cone.

Game 5 was marred by a scuffle involving B-Meg’s Josh Urbiztondo and Joe Devance and Talk ’N Text’s Pamboy Raymundo.

Trouble broke out when Raymundo hit Urbiztondo with an elbow while fighting off a pick. Urbiztondo retaliated with a shove. Devance joined the fray by tossing the ball to Raymundo’s face.

The Talk ’N Text guard retaliated by hitting Devance in the nape.

Raymundo was assessed with two flagrant foul-penalty one infractions that resulted into his ejection. Devance was also ejected after he was meted with a flagrant foul-penalty two./EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA