PBA Commissioners Cup Finals : Talk and Text ties 2-2; Conference Awardees named

Source : AKTV

The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters served notice that they’re not giving up their Commissioner’s Cup crown easily, fashioning a 100-85 rout the B-MEG Llamados in Game Four of the finals Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum before a crowd of 18,696 fans, the biggest this season for the PBA.


After being burned by Llamados wingmen James Yap and Peter June Simon earlier in the best-of-seven series, their Tropang Texters counterparts Jared Dillinger, Ryan Reyes, and Larry Fonacier keyed the most lopsided result of the finals.

Dillinger and Reyes combined for 23 points in the first half to a 47-35 lead. Talk ‘N Text pushed the lead to as much as 19 points in the third quarter, quelling repeated rallies by B-MEG.

“All our conversations yesterday at practice centered around coming out and playing good Talk ‘N Text basketball for a full 48 minutes,” said Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes. “I felt that, just to be very honest about it, I told our guys, after two games, we’re lucky to be down 2-1. We stole Game Two. We could’ve easily been 3-0. I told them. We have to take advantage of that. And let’s make sure that we capitalize with a great effort for this ballgame. And that’s what happened.”

Dillinger and Fonacier led four other players in double-figures for Talk ‘N Text with 18 points apiece, while Reyes scored all nine of his points in the first half. Dillinger added five rebounds and four assists.

Yap scored for 14 points, but shot just 1-of-9 from the three-point line. Simon had an even more miserable outing, getting off just 5 shots from the field. His first field goal came with just 4:03 left in the game.

But things took a strange turn late in the game, with 1:47 left and Talk ‘N Text leading, 96-81. Pamboy Raymundo elbowed Josh Urbiztondo on a pick, causing the B-MEG guard to react.

In the scrum, Joe Devance threw the ball at Raymundo, who responded by hitting the Llamados forward at the back of his head.

The officials took a few minutes to sort out the situation, calling two penalty one flagrant fouls on Raymundo, leading to his ejection. Devance was also called for a flagrant foul penalty two and was also sent off, while Urbiztondo was called for a technical foul.

The scuffle led to B-MEG coach Tim Cone exchanging words with members of the Talk ‘N Text coaching staff. A couple of plays later, Cone fell to the floor after getting hit inadvertently by referee Art Herrera. Cone stormed off the court with still a little over a minute left.

After a monster performance in Game Three, Denzel Bowles also had a quiet outing with just 17 points for B-MEG.

The score:

Talk ‘N Text 100 – Dillinger 18, Fonacier 18, Castro 15, Harvey 14, Alapag 12, De Ocampo 10, Reyes 9, Carey 4, Raymundo 0, Gamalinda 0, Williams 0, Alvarez 0, Lao 0, Peek 0.

B-MEG 85 – Bowles 17, Devance 17, Urbiztondo 15, Yap 14, Intal 8, Simon 5, Pingris 4, Reavis 4, Barroca 1, Acuna 0, Gaco 0, Burtscher 0, Villanueva 0, De Ocampo 0.

Quarters: 25-24, 47-35, 73-60, 100-85

CONFERENCE AWARDS
Source : AKTV

Barangay Ginebra Kings guard Mark Caguioa, who missed his team’s semifinal series against the B-MEG Llamados, was named the Best Player of the Conference for the 2012 PBA Commisioner’s Cup.

He bested Powerade teammates Gary David and Marcio Lassiter as well as Cyrus Baguio and LA Tenorio of Alaska to win the award. He averaged 16.9 points and 6.4 rebounds to place second in statistical points, which comprised 40 pecent of the voting. Media votes, player votes and votes from the PBA commissioner’s office comprised the rest of the vote.

Caguioa received the award wearing shades, still bothered by the eye injury that kept him out of the playoffs.

It is Caguioa’s second Best Player of the Conference plum, having won the award in 2006-07 Philippine Cup.

B-MEG import Denzel Bowles, who is averaging 28.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in the PBA finals so far, was named Best Import of the Conference.

Bowles topped the statistical points category to clinch the honor over Barako Bull’s Gabe Freeman, Talk ‘N Text’s Donnell Harvey and Ginebra’s Jackson Vroman.