Ranidel de Ocampo ought to be swaying to Bob Marley’s Redemption Song.
De Ocampo committed one of the most terrible errors in PBA Finals history in regulation but redeemed
himself beautifully in overtime as defending champion Talk ‘N Text turned back Powerade, 133-126,
to move within a game of sweeping the Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Texters gun for their fifth title in Game Four Friday night at the same venue, hoping to
add the Tigers to 11 previous teams that fell behind 0-3 and never recovered.
“This game was determined by hunger, by the team that wanted it more,” said TNT coach Chot
Reyes, who is eyeing his eighth championship and fifth with the Texters.
“I told my players before the game that they better be starving because I am,” added Reyes who
appeared to have Game Three under wraps until the shocking developments with 3.3 seconds left and
TNT in possession and holding a 121-118 lead.
Inbounding from in front of their bench, De Ocampo, who had 12 points in the fourth quarter,
miscalculated on a lead pass to teammate Larry Fonacier, covered heavily by Gary David.
The ball sailed over Fonacier to the backcourt and was scooped up by streaking Powerade rookie JV
Casio, who drilled in a huge three-point shot to send the game into overtime.
De Ocampo, who had 21 points behind Fonacier’s 25, then had five points in overtime, including a
triple that gave Talk ‘N Text a 126-121 lead which it never relinquished.
“We just gutted it out,” said Reyes. “We couldn’t stop (Gary) David, but in the end we were
able to stop them when it mattered. I think we played excellent defense.”
Jimmy Alapag, who scored a quiet 10 points, let out a big roar with a 3-pointer that gave TNT a
117-116 edge with less than a minute remaining.
David led Powerade with 36 points but was too worn out in overtime to come to his team’s aid,
missing all five shots he took.
“Sobrang pagod na talaga si Gary,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol.
“But we’ll keep on fighting. We’re not thinking of coming back from 0-3. We just want to win
one game first.”
With history against them and nothing to lose, Powerade, Reyes believes, is an even more dangerous
opponent.
“It’s not over, we still have to take the final steps,” said Reyes.
TNT outscored Powerade, 12-5 in overtime. David, Marcio Lassiter, Sean Anthony, Casio and Doug
Kramer – the Tigers’ main five – were a combined five points in the extra period.
Powerade shot better from 3-point range but surrendered 15 more attempts overall from its 43 percent
field goal shooting. The Tigers also gave up 15 points in free throw conversions after getting
whistled for 25 fouls against TNT’s 14.
Alapag’s way-out 3-point shot beat the buzzer and gave bench-powered TNT a 63-60 lead at halftime.
Fonacier had 12 points, with three triples, while Ali Peek added 11, manhandling every Tiger player
that gets in his way inside the paint.
Powerade took the first quarter, 34-28, as David scored 12 points and the Tigers shot 61 percent
from the floor while the Texters missed 14 of 21. But TNT turned hot in the second, draining 13 of
21 and taking the quarter, 35-26.
The Texters found themselves at the receiving end of some hard fouls.
Jayson Castro, the top gun in Game One, was hammered by David on the drive early in the game, while
reserve center Gilbert Lao got an elbow from Powerade center Romel Adducul – a flagrant one foul.
Then, minutes into the second quarter, TNT guard Ryan Reyes took a hard foul from Tigers hotshot
Josh Vanlandingham, triggering another strong reaction from Reyes.
Bench scoring went one-sided to TNT, 37-4, a testimony to the Texters’ extra deep roster.
De Ocampo, who swung an elbow at Anthony in Game Two, causing a bloody gash on the Tiger forward’s
eyebrow that needed 10 stitches to close, was fined P20,000 but escaped a suspension which an
upgraded F2 foul would have merited.
“The fine suffices,” said PBA Commissioner Chito Salud.(TST)
Scores:
TALK N' TEXT 133 – Fonacier 25, De Ocampo 21, Reyes 19, Peek 16, Williams 14, Castro 10, Alapag
10, Aguilar 6, Dillinger 6, Carey 4, Lao 2, Gamalinda 0.
POWERADE 126 – David 36, Lassiter 25, Anthony 25, Casio 18, Kramer 14, Cruz 3, Adducul 3,
Lingganay 2, Vanlandingham 0, Allera 0.
Quarters: 28-34, 63-60, 87-93, 121-121, 133-126
