CUNETA ASTRODOME / APRIL 7 / WEDNESDAY

5:00PM ALASKA VS. TALK N' TEXT
7:30PM DERBY ACE VS STA. LUCIA

CUNETA ASTRODOME / APRIL 7 / WEDNESDAY

5:00PM ALASKA VS. TALK N' TEXT
7:30PM DERBY ACE VS STA. LUCIA

PBA's latest news release reports thus:

PBA NEWS RELEASE FEBRUARY, 9, 2010

The walkout staged by Talk N’ Text that marred Game 4 of its quarterfinal match-up with Barangay Ginebra last Friday cost the Tropang Texters over P1 million in penalty.

Besides forfeiting Game 4 in favor of the Kings, PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios levied a P500,000 fine on Talk N’ Text, the amount of which shall be paid to Barangay Ginebra under section 32 of the PBA constitution and by-laws.

On top of that, TNT’s share in the gate receipts and TV revenues for that game, which could be anywhere from P200,000 to P250,000, has also been forfeited in favor of the nine other PBA ballclubs.

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I imagine a conversation between fans at the game TnT walked out of would've gone like this:

Fan 1: Pare oemgee! Nagwalk-out ang TnT!
Fan 2: Oo nga pre!
(Crowd hoots and gasps in collective silence as they watch the proceedings.)
Fan 1: Wow! (sits down)
Fan 2: Oo nga.
Fan 1: O pano, uwi na tayo.
Fan 2: Oo nga. Malayo pa ang (insert far away place here).

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ARANETA COLISEUM / FEBRUARY 7

4:00PM PUREFOODS VS RAIN OR SHINE
6:30PM GINEBRA VS TALK N' TEXT

SUNDAY / JANUARY 31 / ARANETA

4:00PM TALK N' TEXT VS. GINEBRA
6:30PM RAIN OR SHINE VS. PUREFOODS

SATURDAY / JAN 16 / ZAMBOANGA

5:00PM TALK N' TEXT VS. SAN MIGUEL

SATURDAY / NOVEMBER 7 / VICTORIAS CITY
5:00PM STA. LUCIA VS. SAN MIGUEL

SUNDAY / NOVEMBER 8 / ARANETA
4:00PM PUREFOODS VS. TALK N' TEXT
6:30PM RAIN OR SHINE VS. GINEBRA

Games Friday, May 1 ’09 (Araneta Coliseum)
5:00 p.m. Sta. Lucia vs. Purefoods
7:30 p.m. Talk 'N Text vs. Barangay Ginebra

Games Wednesday, Apr. 29 ’09 (Araneta Coliseum)
5:00 p.m. Purefoods vs. Coca-Cola
7:30 p.m. San Miguel Beer vs. Talk 'N Text

April 20
CUNETA ASTRODOME
5:00 Ginebra vs. Burger King
7:30 Talk N' Text vs. Rain or Shine

6:00 p.m. Sta. Lucia Realtors vs. Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters

4:00 p.m. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. Barako Bull Energy Boosters
6:30 p.m. Talk n Text Tropang Texters vs. Purefoods TJ Giants

Tonight, Talk N' Text beat Alaska at Game 7 for the KFC Philippine Cup Championship. For Talk N' Text, this marks coach Chot Reyes' 3rd Championship for 3 different clubs, the only coach to be able to do so. This marks also the coming - of - age for the lightning quick rookie Jason Castro (19 pts., 8 rebs., 8 ass.) and sweet revenge for MacMac Cardona after losing out to eventual Series MVP Willie Miller. For Alaska, it's also a coming out party for Larry Fonacier (10 pts., 2/5 3s), as well as an impressive showing for Reynel Hugnatan (17 pts., 6/11 FGs).

I've always liked Hugnatan and I like the way Fonacier shut me up today with his tough showing. But before I go on, there are two things I'd like to make clear. One, this is one of the best PBA games I've ever seen in my life.. While it's entirely possible that it's been so long since I've enjoyed a PBA game that this one gem of a game stood out, I'm coming clean regardless, and admit it out: WHAT.A.GAME. It was exciting, it was down the wire, both teams executed, Alaska almost died several times but kept coming back so well and so often that they were never really out of the picture until the dying seconds. That was a great game 7. Congratulations to both teams and the PBA.

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By now it's obvious. Alaska is clearly outclassing Talk N' Text, and not by doing anything particularly outstanding on their own. Oh of course they are playing well, and by that I mean they are executing their plays and generally carrying out an overall plan. In pressure situations when everything is helter skelter, they keep their act together, and when they do screw up as all teams inevitably do, they manage to address it quickly so as not to derail them from their ultimate goal.

Sharp contrast is the term I use for the other side. Talk N' Text can and does come out breathing fire at times, but it is largely unsustainable. This 2nd game, Ren-Ren Ritualo looked close to expending himself to score points for his team. While the effort is laudable he will obviously need to work with everyone else at some point, and sadly this was not the case.

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