Petron Blaze win PBA Governors' Cup 4-3, deny TNT's Grand Slam bid

Source gmanews.tv

Undermanned Petron foiled Talk `N Text’s Grand Slam bid Sunday night, carving out a masterful 85-73 win to bag the PBA Governors Cup championship before a crowd of 17,000 at the rocking Araneta Coliseum.

Import Anthony Grundy, atoning for a dismal five-point output in Game 6 the last time, exploded at the right time for the Boosters with 26 points as he keyed a huge third quarter run just when momentum appeared to be shifting for the Tropang Texters’side.

Grundy had 12 points during that decisive stretch that saw the Boosters reverse a 41-42 deficit to their biggest lead of the match, 62-48.

The Tropang Texters played catch up from there, before Arwind Santos, who finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds to emerge as the hands-down choice as Finals MVP, scored on a breakaway two-handed slam with 37 seconds left for an 81-73 lead that sparked the over at the Petron bench and its hordes of supporters.

Grundy made possible that Santos basket after completing a steal off a Maurice Baker pass to Ranidel de Ocampo.

The Boosters, a heavy underdog against the powerhouse Tropang Texters, won the best-of-seven title series, 4-3, and clinched their 19th PBA championship overall.

They likewise avenged their 4-2 loss against the Tropang Texters in the Philippine Cup Finals early this year.

The victory was sweeter for coach Ato Agustin as he made it among the company of select PBA coaches who won a championship during their rookie year.

Denok Miranda added 16 points for the Boosters, and Alex Cabagnot had 12, nine rebounds and eight assists in winning his first league championship together with Santos and rookie coach Ato Agustin.

“Nung pinag-bigyan nila kami, nagkamali sila," said Agustin, referring to the 89-88 upset Petron pulled off in Game 1 of the Finals. “Naka-tsamba kami ng apat na beses.

Talk `N Text became the latest team after Alaska in 1998 to come up short of completing a sweep of all three season conferences.

Import Maurice Baker finished with 22 points to lead the Tropang Texters, who failed to get the scoring support from injured player Jayson Castro and Larry Fonacier.

Castro, hounded by an MCL injury and a sprained left ankle he suffered in the third period, only had two points, while Fonacier failed to score and finished with a 0-of-10 shooting from the field.

A long three-point shot by Jimmy Alapag to beat the buzzer made it 64-53 heading into the pivotal fourth.

A big break came the Tropang Texters’ way halfway into the second quarter when Jojo Duncil was called for a flagrant foul 2 against Baker, resulting to the ejection of the tough Petron guard.

Baker canned both free throws, and then added another pair of charities a few minutes later following a foul called this time on Sunday Salvacion.

The four straight points of Baker formed part of a 7-0 blast by Talk `N Text, cutting a 13-point deficit to just 28-34 with 6:15 left before halftime.

Petron managed to keep the six-point lead at the break, 40-34.

The Boosters went on an offensive mode early, with Miranda accounting for the team’s first seven points.

Then Danny Ildefonso, Santos and Cabagnot took over. Pinoy Breaking News.

A three-pointer by Cabagnot gave Petron a 20-11 lead with 5:24 to go, and then stretched it to a double-digit edge with another triple by Grundy to make it 25-13.

The first period ended with the Boosters on top, 28-17. Philippine news, GMA News


The scores:

Petron (85) -- Grundy 26, Santos 16, Miranda 16, Ildefonso 13, Cabagnot 12, Pennisi 2, Duncil 0, Hubalde 0, Salvacion 0.

Talk `N Text (73) -- Baker 22, De Ocampo 15, Williams 13, Alapag 13, Carey 6, Castro 2, Peek 2, Dillinger 0, Reyes 0, Aban 0. Fonacier 0, Alvarez 0.

Quarterscores: 28-17, 40-34, 64-53, 85-73