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Gins vs Texters
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
IT’S a rarity in the PBA when all four teams set to see action are coming off losses. Yet that does not take the interest away at
all, especially when Ginebra makes an appearance and tries to prove its resolve.
The most popular team returns aiming to establish that it can come back from its worst defeat in the season, battling
defending champion Talk ‘N Text as it seeks to collect its sixth win in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup tonight at the Araneta
Coliseum.
The Gin Kings were sent wondering and looking for answers after their previous outing against Sta. Lucia Realty last Nov.
18, a game that witnessed how deadly the Realtors can be when in their element and how atrocious Ginebra can get into if
things don’t fall into place.
The outcome of that contest was simply forgettable for the Kings – a 21-point, 93-72 defeat. They practically performed
horribly in every department, got thwarted every time they made a run, and exposed how much work they still have to go
through when it comes to defense.
So abysmal was Ginebra that it committed 35 turnovers, allowed Sta. Lucia to get 19 more rebounds (61-42), and shot just
33.3 percent from the field on 26-of-78 shooting.
Against one of the deadliest teams on offense, the Kings certainly couldn’t afford to go through the same situation.
“We are playing one of the top four teams in the league with depth and firepower,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. “We
need to be able to sustain all we have for 48 minutes.”
Yet the depth and firepower the Tropang Texters have didn’t match well when the run-and-gun franchise met Alaska last
Nov. 20. Although they were able to come back from a 21-point deficit, Talk ‘N Text could not sustain the charge and
absorbed a 110-106 loss in a game where coach Chot Reyes was ejected on two technical fouls with six minutes left to play.
Reyes has already set aside that ugly past, and would rather focus on the mission at hand as the Texters attempt to improve
on their 4-3 (win-loss) standing going into the halfway mark of the 18-game elimination round.
Last season’s Coach of the Year once again has put emphasis on defense as the key element to winning.
“Every game from here on is big,” said Reyes. “As usual, we must shore up on ‘D’ (defense) to limit their scoring. Our three
losses so far have come from teams scoring 100 points or more, although we averaged close to 100 ourselves in those
defeats.”
Apparently, there’s no question about how talented the Texters are when it comes to scoring. But their defense was
obviously suspect in that match against the Aces, who ran their Triangle offense to its best and was rewarded with a 51
percent shooting night on a 43-of-83 clip from the floor.
Jay-Jay Helterbrand has been performing on an off-and-on basis these days, obviously bothered by the hamstring injury that
keeps on recurring every now and then. The reigning MVP scored just five points on 2-for-10 shooting from the field against
the Realtors, but is expected to rebound.
Rain or Shine and Coca-Cola, the worst teams in the standings with only two wins between themselves, meantime square
off in the opener at 5 p.m.
Both ball clubs have not gotten into a groove in the season-opening tournament, especially the Elasto Painters. The
youngest franchise, which created a stir last conference by finishing fourth, was projected to crowd the heavyweights in this
tournament but hasn’t showed the same intensity.
Tigers’ coach Kenneth Duremdes himself does not understand the pathetic performance being delivered by Coca-Cola. But
he sure is hoping that tonight’s meeting with Rain or Shine could be the start of something good.
“I know both teams are struggling,” said Duremdes. “And the team that wants it more will be successful in the end.”
After posting the biggest upset in the tournament – an 86-81 win over Alaska – Rain or Shine went back into its old ways the
following game, and suffered a 103-69 setback to Purefoods.
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
IT’S a rarity in the PBA when all four teams set to see action are coming off losses. Yet that does not take the interest away at
all, especially when Ginebra makes an appearance and tries to prove its resolve.
The most popular team returns aiming to establish that it can come back from its worst defeat in the season, battling
defending champion Talk ‘N Text as it seeks to collect its sixth win in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup tonight at the Araneta
Coliseum.
The Gin Kings were sent wondering and looking for answers after their previous outing against Sta. Lucia Realty last Nov.
18, a game that witnessed how deadly the Realtors can be when in their element and how atrocious Ginebra can get into if
things don’t fall into place.
The outcome of that contest was simply forgettable for the Kings – a 21-point, 93-72 defeat. They practically performed
horribly in every department, got thwarted every time they made a run, and exposed how much work they still have to go
through when it comes to defense.
So abysmal was Ginebra that it committed 35 turnovers, allowed Sta. Lucia to get 19 more rebounds (61-42), and shot just
33.3 percent from the field on 26-of-78 shooting.
Against one of the deadliest teams on offense, the Kings certainly couldn’t afford to go through the same situation.
“We are playing one of the top four teams in the league with depth and firepower,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. “We
need to be able to sustain all we have for 48 minutes.”
Yet the depth and firepower the Tropang Texters have didn’t match well when the run-and-gun franchise met Alaska last
Nov. 20. Although they were able to come back from a 21-point deficit, Talk ‘N Text could not sustain the charge and
absorbed a 110-106 loss in a game where coach Chot Reyes was ejected on two technical fouls with six minutes left to play.
Reyes has already set aside that ugly past, and would rather focus on the mission at hand as the Texters attempt to improve
on their 4-3 (win-loss) standing going into the halfway mark of the 18-game elimination round.
Last season’s Coach of the Year once again has put emphasis on defense as the key element to winning.
“Every game from here on is big,” said Reyes. “As usual, we must shore up on ‘D’ (defense) to limit their scoring. Our three
losses so far have come from teams scoring 100 points or more, although we averaged close to 100 ourselves in those
defeats.”
Apparently, there’s no question about how talented the Texters are when it comes to scoring. But their defense was
obviously suspect in that match against the Aces, who ran their Triangle offense to its best and was rewarded with a 51
percent shooting night on a 43-of-83 clip from the floor.
Jay-Jay Helterbrand has been performing on an off-and-on basis these days, obviously bothered by the hamstring injury that
keeps on recurring every now and then. The reigning MVP scored just five points on 2-for-10 shooting from the field against
the Realtors, but is expected to rebound.
Rain or Shine and Coca-Cola, the worst teams in the standings with only two wins between themselves, meantime square
off in the opener at 5 p.m.
Both ball clubs have not gotten into a groove in the season-opening tournament, especially the Elasto Painters. The
youngest franchise, which created a stir last conference by finishing fourth, was projected to crowd the heavyweights in this
tournament but hasn’t showed the same intensity.
Tigers’ coach Kenneth Duremdes himself does not understand the pathetic performance being delivered by Coca-Cola. But
he sure is hoping that tonight’s meeting with Rain or Shine could be the start of something good.
“I know both teams are struggling,” said Duremdes. “And the team that wants it more will be successful in the end.”
After posting the biggest upset in the tournament – an 86-81 win over Alaska – Rain or Shine went back into its old ways the
following game, and suffered a 103-69 setback to Purefoods.