Laro Ngayon
(Cuneta Astrodome)
8 p.m. Talk ‘N Text vs Rain or Shine
KAHIT natalo sa Game One, gusto pa rin ni Rain or Shine coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao ang tsansa ng kanyang koponan at sinabing kaya nilang talunin ang Talk ‘N Text.
Pero kailangan niya itong patunayan sa pagtatagpo ng Elasto Painters at Tropang Texters sa Game Two ng PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinals series mamayang alas-8 ng gabi sa Cuneta Astrodome sa Pasay City.
Dinaig ng Talk ‘N Text ang Rain or Shine, 91-85, sa series opener noong Lunes upang manatiling walang talo sa torneo. Winalis nila ang elims, 9-0, at tinalo ang Barangay Ginebra San Miguel sa quarterfinals.
“I think that’s how the series is going to be. It’s going to be intense, It’s going to be physical. It’s going to be rugged and we have to control our emotions,” ani Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black.
Ayon naman kay Guiao, “That was the first game we had control in the third quarter. There were defensive breakdowns that caused us to lose momentum. One thing is certain, we feel we can beat Talk ‘N Text.”
Nilamangan ng Elasto Painters ang Tropang Texters, 66-64, sa pagtatapos ng ikatlong yugto subalit kinapos sa ikaapat na yugto.
Nakarating ang Rain or Shine sa semifinals matapos na talunin ang Meralco sa quarterfinals, 2-1.
Natalo ang Elasto Painters sa Game One subalit nanalo sa huling dalawang laro upang makausad. Tatlong manlalaro ang na-miss ng Elasto Paintgers noong Lunes.
Si JR Quinahan ay malamang na hindi makapaglaro hanggang sa katapusan ng season. Si Chris Tiu ay may nananakit na tuhod. Si Gabe Norwood ay naimbita sa Malacañang.
“I guess we can give it a better try with Gabe coming back,” ani Guiao. Sa import matchup ay mas maganda ang naging numero ni Wayne Chism ng Rain or Shine kaysa kay Richard Howell ng Talk ‘N Text na nakipagsagutan pa kay Guiao sa dulo ng laro.
“He (Howell) was having a bad game. He got blocked five times. He called me a bitch in front of the referee. That’s profane but the referees didn’t do anything. Pag ako, may technical na kaagad,” ani Guiao.
Bukod kina Chism at Norwood, ang iba pang inaasahan ni Guiao ay sina Jeff Chan, Paul Lee, Ryan Araña, Beau Belga at Jervy Cruz.
Si Howell, na frontrunner para sa Best Import award, ay makakatulong nina Jimmy Alapag, Jason Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Larry Fonacier, Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes at Niño Canaleta.
( Photo credit to INS )