MANILA---With its nucleus in its prime and the league back to a three-conference format, Talk ‘N Text couldn’t have picked a better year to win the PBA Philippine Cup, the first jewel of the season, last Friday.
After taking the full measure of longtime powerhouse San Miguel Beer and flattening the Beermen in six games, the Tropang Texters have everyone talking Grand Slam, a three-tournament sweep that is so rare it hasn’t happened in 15 years.
Only three teams have so far pulled off the feat counting Crispa’s two (1976 and 1983), San Miguel in 1989 and the Alaska Aces in 1996.
And the way the Texters conquered the Beermen left no doubt that they are capable of securing a piece of PBA history.
The Texters ran at every opportunity, leaving the Beermen like an aging team save for a few stalwarts like Jay Washington, who was able to keep in step with the enemy.
Talk ‘N Text looked every inch like a complete team during the Finals with coach Chot Reyes even going to his 10th man and yet preserving its domination of San Miguel.
And with two import-spiced tournaments coming up, it seems that the only problem the Texters will have in seriously contending for the final two jewels would be the reinforcements that they would hire.
“Our import has been here for the past couple of weeks and he has seen how the PBA brand of basketball is being played here,” Reyes told a packed press room moments after the clinching 95-82 Game 6 victory. “He can’t wait to play but I wish the league gives us some time to rest.”
Import Paul Harris joined in the celebration of the Talk ‘N Text win in a move by Reyes to get his import feel what it is like to nail a second title in the Commissioner’s Cup that opens on Feb. 18 in Laoag.
“We will just savor this for a day or two and then we’ll get back to work again,” Jimmy Alapag, the guard who shared Finals MVP honors with Jason Castro, said.
Talk ‘N Text’s romp in Games 5 and 6 served fair warning to the rest of the field of what to expect from them in the next two conferences.
Musong Castillo, Phil. Daily Inquirer
