TALK ’N TEXT bounced back from a tough defeat, drubbing Barako Bull, 122-106, on Sunday in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
Jayson Castro led the Tropang Texters’ hot shooting with 26 points, highlighted by four triples of the team’s 18 triples, as Talk ’N Text tied Barangay Ginebra San Miguel for third spot with 5-3 slate.
Jimmy Alapag added 14 markers while Larry Fonacier and Ranidel de Ocampo each had 13 points for Talk ’N Text, which erected an early 40-20 lead after the first period and never looked back since then.
The Tropang Texters hit 18 triples in the game, the last one came from rookie Kevin Alas’s buzzer-beater three-pointer that pegged the final score.
The win snapped the Energy’s two-game run to stay at No. 10 in the standings with a 2-6 mark.
Paolo Hubalde led Barako Bull with 16 points while JC Intal and Chico Lanete contributed 16 apiece for Head Coach Koy Banal.
After Intal’s basket that put the Energy within one, 12-13, the Tropang Texters unloaded a momentum-swinging 27-8 assault to carry a 40-20 advantage after the first period.
Their lead grew as high as 29 points on Ryan Reyes’s triple, 64-35 with 4:49 left in the second canto before Talk ‘N Text settled for a 73-48 halftime lead.
The closest Barako Bull could get was at 11, 106-117, but time was not on the Energy’s side to absorb their sixth defeat in eight matches.