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TALK ?N Text taught Smart Gilas a neat lesson in basketball savvy after trashing the latter, 103-70, yesterday in the 35th PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The defending champion Texters broke free from a tight second quarter and cruised the rest of the way for their second win in as many starts.
Smart Gilas, which is playing as a guest team in the tournament, fell to 0-2 (win-loss).
?I really thought the best way to help the RP Team is to play hard,? Talk ?N Text head coach Chot Reyes told pba.ph.
Mark Cardona scored 16 points to lead four other Texters in double figures. Jimmy Alapag finished with 14 points and six assists, Jared Dillinger and Jason Castro tallied 12 markers each, while Ali Peek came up with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
After closing the first period with a slim 19-17 lead, Talk N Text went to work in the second stanza and zoomed to a 46-36 lead at the bend.
The Texters tied the Alaska Aces and the Barangay Ginebra Kings at the top of the standings.
?We know (Smart Gilas) plays with a lot of energy and executes its offense flawlessly. So we devised a defensive game plan that offers different looks and made sure we match their intensity. I guess we did both well,? said Reyes.
Mark Barroca led Smart Gilas with 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, while JV Casio and Japeth Aguilar donated 14 each for Smart Gilas, which is gearing up for the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships.
Smart Gilas self-destructed in the second period where it only connected five of its 17 attempts from the field.
A disappointed Smart Gilas coach Radjko Toroman benched center C.J. Giles in the final three quarters after the American's lackluster performance in the opening period where the former Los Angeles Laker failed to score a single point.
