Gary David didn’t disappoint on a night he was crowned the tournament MVP, leading the Powerade
charge as the Tigers foiled the Talk n Text Tropang Texters’ sweep bid in the PBA Philippine Cup
finals.
Before a crowd of over 12,000 at the Araneta Coliseum, David and the Tigers gutted it out to score a
100-97 decision to force a Game Five in the best-of-seven titular series Sunday.
Sean Anthony churned out a double-double performance, and the Powerade bench provided ample help as
the Tigers survived what’s already their fourth do-or-die game in the tourney.
“I’ll be arrogant if I say we can come back. I’ll just say it’s doable,” said Powerade
coach Bo Perasol on their chance to salvage the series.
“We’ll come out Sunday with the same mindset. Focus lang sa game na yon,” said David, named
Best Player of the Conference before tipoff in Game Four.
“After getting the award, kinalimutan ko na muna kahit gaano kasarap iyon. Focus lang talaga sa
laro,” David added.
“Kahit 0-3 down, positive ang outlook namin. Sabi namin sa sarili namin ang sama ng Game One
natin, nag-improve sa Game Two at nai-overtime namin sila sa Game Three. Siguro panalo na sa Game
Four,” David also said.
David provided the lead and his teammates followed as they fought with great resolve and pulled
through though held to a single field goal basket in the last four minutes of play.
They built 14-point spreads in the first half and were still in command at 92-81 before facing a
determined Talk n Text chase at the finish.
The Texters had a chance to send the game into overtime but Jayson Castro and Jimmy Alapag missed a
three-point try each in the closing seconds.
Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes rued their frontliners didn’t do their job.
“Masyadong binugbog ang mga bigs naming,” said Reyes.
Ranidel de Ocampo was notably a non-factor, going 1-of-8 from the field and 1-of-3 from the stripe
for three points.
David played every inch as the tournament MVP, firing 35 points – his 10th in the playoffs and
13th overall in the tourney.
Anthony tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds while Marcio Lassiter, Doug Kramer and Romel Adducul added
double-digit outputs.
Larry Fonacier topscored for Tropa with 20 points with Castro and Alapag winding up with 18 apiece.
The Tropang Texters wiped out an 11-point deficit in the last six minutes but yielded the game just
the same as they the shots that mattered the most.
With the needed help from its support crew, Powerade led at the half, 53-43, for the first time in
the series.
Adducul scored seven points off the bench, including a three-point play off Harvey Carey that gave
the Tigers a first 14-point spread at 42-28.
Rudy Lingganay and Josh Vanlandingham had their contributions while Celino Cruz and Alex Crisano
provided some spell.
In Game Three, Perasol shuffled only eight players in the first half.
Anthony beat the buzzer with a follow-up of a Jvee Casio miss to close the half.
The Texters waged a chase in the third quarter with Castro firing 16 points, including a trey at the
buzzer to make it 75-all. (SB)
The scores:
POWERADE 100 - David 35, Anthony 19, Lassiter 13, Kramer 11, Adducul 10, Casio 7, Lingganay 3,
Vanlandingham 2, Cruz 0, Crisano 0.
TALK N' TEXT 97 - Fonacier 20, Castro 18, Alapag 18, Carey 11, Reyes 10, Peek 8, Williams 7, De
Ocampo 3, Dillinger 2, Aguilar 0, Alvarez 0, Lao 0.
Quarters: 25-23, 53-43, 75-75, 100-97
