TNT, Purefoods eye series sweep

Defending champion Talk ’N Text and Purefoods go for a sweep of their respective quarterfinals series in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters tangle with the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the 7:30 p.m. main game while the Giants face the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 5 o’clock.

The Texters and the Giants are leading their best-of-five quarterfinal showdowns with similar 2-0 cards.

High-flying sophomore wingman Jared Dillinger scored on a perfectly executed alley-hoop play off an inbound pass by forward Ranidel de Ocampo with 2.4 seconds left as Talk ’N Text beat Ginebra, 106-105, last Sunday to follow up their 107-92 blowout in the series opener.

Purefoods tripped wildcard survivor Rain or Shine, 95-94, also last Sunday after a 90-85 win in their first meeting.

But while a sweep looks easy to get, TNT coach Chot Reyes knows that Ginebra is capable of staging a big comeback.

“We’re not thinking about anything but to play with extreme urgency,” Reyes said as another win will set up his wards to a best-of-seven meeting -- and a rematch -- with outright semifinalist Alaska Milk, which TNT downed in seven games in last season’s all-Filipino finals.

“The series score doesn’t matter. It’s going to be 10 times tougher. We just need to be ready,” Reyes said. “We have to be better, that’s what it takes.”

For Ginebra, coach Jong Uichico simply said that it’s a ‘live or die’ situation for them and he expects his team to double its effort to keep their semis bid alive.

To do that though, Uichico said the troika of JC Intal, Ronald Tubid, and Cyrus Baguio should step up. Tubid was a non-factor in Game 1 as he scored just two points, but he contributed 22 to back-up Intal’s 23 in Game 2. Baguio struggled with only nine on 3-of-9 shooting.

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin