Macmac Cardona checked a personal slump with a 23-point explosion but Alapag stole the thunder in making the game-winning shot in the closing game of the PBA Phoenix Fuel Road Tour.
It was a crucial victory assuring the Tropang Texters of a playoff crack at an outright quarterfinals entry.
With a closing 11-7 win-loss record in the double-round elimination phase, Talk ‘N Text gets automatic passage into the quarters if Sta. Lucia fails to sweep its last two games against Barako Bull and Purefoods. In cases of a three-way or four-way tie at 11-7, Talk 'N Text will also likely advance to the quarterfinals outright.
The Beermen, a team already assured of a slot in the semifinals and now bracing for the playoffs, pushed the Tropang Texters to the limit but yielded the game on a defensive breakdown in the last seven seconds of play.
They ended up with a 13-5 record in the elims.
San Miguel erased a five-point deficit, tying the count at 91-all before Alapag struck, getting past Mike Cortez and Jay Washington for the game-winning lay-up.
Cardona, the league leading scorer limited to an average of 7.5 points in their last two games, also played a key part as he regained his fiery form.
The 6-foot-1 forward put in four points in a 7-2 tear giving Talk ‘N Text the 91-86 lead with time down to 1:25.
But the Beermen got back into the thick of things on a counter-attack by Cortez and Arwind Santos.
Held down to two points in the first half, Santos poured in 12 in the final half, including back-to-back baskets down the stretch that tied the count at 91-all with 7.8 ticks left.
Quickly calling a timeout, the Tropang Texters in-bounded the ball to Alapag at the resumption of play.
Talk 'N Text then cleared the lane, allowing Alapag to create a play that had him slipping past Cortez before gliding by Washington and Dondon Hontiveros for the winning basket.
With no more timeout left, San Miguel was no longer able to map out a play in the last 1.2 seconds. Denok Miranda could only throw a prayer of a shot from midcourt at the buzzer, as a result.
Stopped in at least two attempts to pull away early on, the Tropang Texters settled for a 46-43 lead at the turn.
TNT, which lost its first meeting to San Miguel Beer 100-90 last October 28, enjoyed a 10-point spread, 40-30, midway through the second period but Santos and Olsen Racela knocked in crucial baskets to narrow the gap.
Earlier, the Tropang Texters built a nine-point lead at 29-21 but Cortez struck for SMB, preventing TNT from pulling away further.
Cardona had a swashbuckling start, firing seven points as the Tropang Texters took the opening quarter by a hairline at 22-21. (SB)
The scores:
Talk ‘N Text 93 - Cardona 23, Peek 15, Alapag 14, Belasco 8, Castro 7, De Ocampo R. 7, Carey 6, Ritualo 6, Dillinger 4, De Ocampo Y. 3.
San Miguel Beer 91 - Cortez 20, Washington 17, Santos 14, Hontiveros 12, Racela 9, Seigle 6, Miranda 6, Villanueva 5, Holper 2, Tugade 0.
Quarterscores: 22-21, 46-43, 68-69, 93-91
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