Texters gun for playoff for semis vs tough Aces unit

Barangay Ginebra Kings the last time. The Alaska Aces now.

Keeping its franchise and season-best winning streak is getting tougher and tougher for the Talk `N Text Tropang Texters, who seek to gain at least a playoff for a semifinals berth in the PBA Fiesta Cup Wednesday night.

The Tropang Texters go up against the Aces in their 7:30 p.m. encounter at the Araneta Coliseum.

The league-leading franchise (12-2) is eyeing to extend its winning run to 12 straight wins, half of them achieved since acquiring the Sta. Lucia duo of Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes in one of the season’s biggest trades.

The Tropang Texters have been undefeated for two months now, with defending champion San Miguel owning the distinction as the team to have last beaten them, 112-106 on March 31.

But as they go deeper into the tournament and try to make it outright to the Final Four, things aren’t coming in silver platter for the team.

Only last Saturday, Talk N Text had to endure a big fourth quarter push from Ginebra to survive a road game in Batangas, 92-84.

And against the Aces (8-5), things are going to be just as tricky.

“Tomorrow’s (Wednesday’s) game will be tough in more ways than one," said Talk `N Text coach Chot Reyes. “We’re going up against a tough team with a tough import. Then our players still have to recover from severe dehydration from our last game Saturday."

Reyes and his boys are actually just in the midst of a killer stretch as they wind up their elimination round campaign.

Still to come after Alaska are the two teams that still have cracks at the semifinals outright – the reigning champion Beermen (11-3) on June 12 and the Derby Ace Llamados (9-5) on June 19.

Mathematically, the Aces still have a chance to advance to the Final Four automatically, but at best, all they can aspire for is a shot at an outright quarterfinals berth.

Alaska mentor Tim Cone however, is keeping his fingers crossed.

“Funny things happen in the PBA, you know," he said. “In terms of standings, it’s a very important game for us. Talk ‘N Text does a great job of attacking for the full 48 minutes. In return, we will need to sustain our own aggressiveness and stay in an attack mode ourselves."

Even without Williams and Reyes back then, Talk `N text defeated Alaska, 90-82, in their first round meeting, but not after repulsing a big Aces comeback from 21 points down.

A victory will assure Talk ‘N Text of at least a playoff game for the second outright semis spot, but the Tropang Texters could also make it to the Final Four outright if they win over the Aces and Derby Ace loses its remaining four games, which includes match-ups against TNT and Ginebra.

The Kings, meanwhile, try to shake the stinging loss they suffered against the Tropang Texters when they clash with cellar-dwelling but dangerous Barako Energy Coffee in the curtain raiser at 5 p.m.

Ginebra (8-6) is just a notched above Rain or Shine (7-6) for the no. 5 spot and a berth in the quarterfinals.

But even if they are up against the worst team in the tournament, coach Jong Uichico is not taking chances against the Coffee Masters, who could only show up with two wins in 14 outings.

“They (Masters) play hard for 48 minutes. We have to play harder for 48 minutes," said Uichico.