Monday, June 18, 2007 Phone Pals halt Express, gains semis spot
THE Talk ’N Text Phone Pals turned back a spirited rally by the Air 21 Express in the 4th quarter to escape with a 114-112 Game 3 victory yesterday in the quarterfinal series of the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Phone Pals, who exacted revenge over the Express after the latter eliminated them in the past conference, will meet top team Red Bull Barakos in the best-of-seven semifinals series.
The Phone Pals controlled the tempo of the game in the first three periods but it was in the early part of the final period that they made their biggest impact when they built a huge 21-point edge, 101-80, with MacMac Cardona and Anthony Washington leading the charge.
Wilt
But the Express refused to wilt under pressure as they retaliated with their own blitzkrieg in the form of a 24-5 rally with import Shawn Daniels at the helm to cut the Phone Pals’ lead to just two, 104-86, with still 1:27 to go.
Space
Cardona gave the Phone Pals a little breathing space in the next play as he completed a three-point play for a 109-104 Talk N Text lead with 1:19 to go.
The Express again knocked loudly on the doors of the Phone Pals in the return play after Daniels made four unanswered baskets to tow Air21 to just 108-109 with still 50 seconds left.
The Phone Pals import JJ Sullinger unleashed a booming trey in the return play to give TNT a 112-108 edge with 31 seconds left but the Express again slashed the lead 112-113 after Daniels and Mark Telan made a basket each with 10 seconds to go.
The Express quickly fouled Washington in the next play and they were given a chance to steal the win after Washington went 1-of-2 from the line.
But Air21 bungled the chance after Jimwell Torion’s pass went out of bounds, giving TNT the win. (JSV)
