3-peat or bust for TNT, Petron targets upset

By on 10:43 AM

Source: gmanews.tv

A historic Grand slam or an upset to remember.

Talk 'N Text and Petron try to complete their respective destinies Sunday night when they go at it one last time for the PBA Governors Cup championship.

A full-house crowd is expected at the Araneta Coliseum for the 7 p.m. encounter made possible by the Tropang Texters' convincing 104-78 win Friday night that leveled the best-of-seven title series at 3-3.

The 26-point rout easily put Talk 'N Text very much on track of fulfilling its date with history as it tries to become only the fifth team in the PBA's 36-year history to complete a sweep of all three conferences in a season.

Alaska was the last great squad to accomplish the feat in 1996.

Chot Reyes, the Tropang Texters' stylish and able mentor, said the title series is going to be 'won by heart.'

"That's the way it should be," he added.

The Tropang Texters did play with a lot of heart—and urgency—in that Game 6 win, torching the Blaze Boosters with 15 three-pointers that obviously knocked the wind out of their proud opponents.

Guard Jason Castro typified the team's resolve to win, coming off the bench and scoring 13 points in a four-minute span in the first quarter. He finished with 19 markers despite nursing an MCL injury.

"Masakit pero hindi ko na iniisip 'yung sakit, iniisip ko na lang 'yung game," said Castro, who remains doubtful for the deciding Game 7. "Ang importante makatulong sa team."

Petron coach Ato Agustin said the Blaze Boosters failed to contain Castro, the Tropang Texters' scorer leading in the Finals whose injury forced him to sit out Games 4 and 5.

"Hindi namin napigilan si Jason," Agustin said. "On top of that, outhustled and outworked kami."

Another factor that doomed the Boosters from ending the series outright was import Anthony Grundy's failure to light up the scoreboard the last time.

Averaging 21.6 points in the Finals, Grundy finished with only five points behind a 2-of-13 shooting.

"Wala kaming nakuha kay Grundy," Agustin said. "I just hope he recovers for the next game."

Still, all is not lost for Agustin and the Boosters to win a record 19th championship in franchise history and a chance to pull off one of the greatest upsets in PBA annals.

"We'll do our best," Agustin said. "Anyways last game na ito so kailangan ibigay at ibuhos na lahat. May chance pa kaming maka-tsamba."