TALK ‘N TEXT hopes to catch up with the league leaders, while Purefoods eyes to reach the .500 mark as the two heavyweights clash with separate foes in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After a slow start, the Tropang Texters have regained their deadly form and are now seeking their fourth straight win against GlobalPort in the main game at 7 p.m.
The Hotshots of Head Coach Tim Cone, on the other hand, are facing winless Blackwater at 4:15 p.m., hoping to level their win-loss record to 3-3 for the first time in the tournament.
Talk ‘N Text is coming off a hard-earned 80-72 win over sister-team Meralco, the Tropang Texters’ big test so far after two consecutive blowout wins.
“We played both ends of the floor the way we wanted to,” Tropang Texters Head Coach Jong Uichico said of their win against the Bolts that improved their record to 4-2. “Hopefully, we just keep on improving.”
Ryan Reyes and Ranidel de Ocampo played big in their victory against Meralco and the former played a key role against Batang Pier, who will be led by their 1-2 punch of Alex Cabagnot and Stanley Pringle.
Cabagnot and Pringle combined for 34 points in the team’s 83-86 loss to Rain or Shine that denied Head Coach Pido Jarencio his first three-game winning streak in the league.
GlobalPort, which enters the game with a 3-3 slate, needs a better effort from Terrence Romeo, who has been struggling in the tournament after exploding for 33 points in their 96-101 loss to newcomer NLEX.
Uichico knows that Batang Pier’s strength is at the backcourt and Reyes, Jayson Castro and Jimmy Alapag will be tested by Cabagnot and Pringle.
Defending champion Purefoods seeks its first back-to-back victories in the tournament against the Elite, the only winless team in the All-Filipino conference following Barako Bull’s 87-71 victory over Kia last Sunday.
The Hotshots scored a big 92-76 win against the Road Warriors behind the stellar games from Peter June Simon, James Yap and Joe Devance who combined for 58 points against NLEX.
Joel Orellana