13 brings luck to Talk ’N Text

After clinching the first outright Final Four slot in the PBA Fiesta Cup, Talk N’ Text coach Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes said his team can now afford to rest.

“Being in the semis, it now allows us to rest,” said Reyes, whose squad secured the semifinal slot by hacking out a hard earned 85-82 win over the importless San Miguel last Saturday.

The Beermen played without import Gabe Freeman, who was under the weather and Reyes said it was a break they capitalized on to extend their winning streak to 13 and improve their record to 14-2 for the solo top spot.

“We’re lucky we caught a break with Freeman on sickbay,” Reyes said.

Freeman, the Best Import last season who averaged 20.6 points and 15.6 rebounds this conference, missed the game because of a high fever, forcing SMB to play with an all-Filipino lineup in the road game presented by Phoenix Fuel at the Victorias City Stadium in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

The Beermen actually played well in the early goings but felt the absence of Freeman in the end as the Tropang Texters, behind Jimmy Alapag, made big plays down the stretch.

Alapag scattered 15 points, including four pressure-packed free throws inside the final 16 seconds that put the Texters on top, 85-82, for good.

“We were running on fumes in the last quarter, but we’re able to gut it out,” Reyes said.

It was San Miguel’s second straight loss in a week and third in the last four games after winning nine straight games.

The loss dropped the Beermen to an 11-4 record, but SMB mentor Siot Tanquincen remains optimistic that they can still clinch the other outright semifinal slot.

“We lost a couple of close games (the other was an 82-83 loss to B-Meg Derby Ace last week), but I think we’re still in very good shape especially with the way we played even without an import,” Tanquincen said. “We just have to learn from the mistakes.”

To make it to the Final Four outright, the Beermen must win their last three games against Coca-Cola on Wednesday, Rain or Shine on Friday and Alaska on June 26.

They can also claim the spot if their closest rivals – reigning Philippine Cup champion B-Meg Derby Ace (10-5), Barangay Ginebra (9-6) and Alaska (9-6) –lose one of their remaining games.

Games Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. — Coca-Cola vs San Miguel
7:30 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs Alaska