TEXTERS FORCE DO-OR-DIE MATCH

The giant Barako Bull intended to slay fought with great resolve and lived on.

Talk n Text hardly gave Barako Bull a chance, jumping out of the starting gate and leading by as
many as 31 before completing a 108-90 blowout win at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Monday night.

The Tropang Texters were completely focused, overwhelming the Energy on both ends of the court for
the big victory that could give them tremendous momentum for the sudden death on Wednesday.

Ranidel de Ocampo was larger than life, bucking a cut on the right eyebrow he sustained in the first
quarter as he led Talk n Text in a huge performance forging a 2-2 deadlock with Barako in their PBA
Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinal showdown.

De Ocampo topscored with 23 points on 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc, 5-of-7 from the two-point
zone and 7-of-7 from the stripe.

The rest of the Texters put up all-out effort with the team’s back against the wall.

Donnell Harvey, Jared Dillinger, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams contributed double-digit outputs.

Danny Seigle, Willie Miller, Don Allado and Mick Pennisi delivered their usual numbers but import
Gabe Freeman was missing in action in this contest.

Freeman was held down to a single-digit output for the first time ever in all his playing stints in
the PBA dating back to 2009 with San Miguel Beer.

He knocked in only one of nine field-goal attempts and four of five charities.

Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes said they would do their best to play with greater energy and intensity
in the deciding game.

“All we did was tied the series. We can’t celebrate, not for one minute. We can’t be
satisfied. We’re just halfway there,” said Reyes.

“Hopefully, we come out with even more energy and focus in the next game. The same amount of
energy won’t make the job done. We have to play better,” Reyes added.

The Tropang Texters exerted so much effort in Game Four, opening with a 13-2 binge, building a
16-point spread in the second quarter and keeping their domination of the Energy to the finish.

For all intents and purposes, the game was over by the third period with the Texters leading by 29
at 80-51.

The Texters set the tone of the game early as they converted 51.5 percent of their shots as against
the Energy’s 31.4-percent clip in the first two quarters.

Talk n Text was efficient on both ends, forcing Barako to 12 turnovers and scoring 13 points off
those miscues in the first 24 minutes of play.

Barako enjoyed the lead just once as Freeman nailed the game’s first basket from the stripe. (SB)

The scores:

TALK N' TEXT 108 - De Ocampo 23, Harvey 12, Dillinger 12, Castro 12, Williams 11, Peek 8, Gamalinda
7, Fonacier 7, Aguilar 4, Carey 4, Raymundo 2, Reyes 2, Alvarez 2, Alapag 2.

BARAKO 90 - Seigle 20, Miller 10, Allado 10, Pennisi 9, Aquino 7, Najorda 7, Salvador 7, Tubid 7,
Freeman 6, Gatumbato 5, Arboleda 2, Sorongon 0, Cervantes 0, Weinstein 0, Pena 0.

Quarters: 30-23, 55-42, 89-64, 108-90