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Game today:
Cebu Coliseum
6 p.m. ? M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños vs. Talk N Text
The Talk N Text Tropang Texters showed that they are primed and ready to do battle in the upcoming PBA Fiesta Conference as they defeated the reigning Liga Pilipinas national champions M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala- Cebu Niños, 87-79, in their exhibition tiff yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Texters are raring to bounce back from their disappointing finish in the recent Philippine Cup, which saw them get ousted from the quarterfinal round by the Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings in a five-game series that they were leading, 2-0.
Import Eric Hicks was an impressive pick-up for head coach Chot Reyes as the former University of Cincinatti Bearcat scored 25 points to lead the way for the Texters. He scored 11 in the first period alone that helped TnT surge ahead, 24-14. They ended the first half on top by eight, 43-35.
However, the proud Niños refused to be dogged on their own floor as they battled all the way back behind the play of their own import, Jason Forte.
Forte, a former standout of the Southern Mississipi Golden Eagles, started off badly as he made just one of his eight attempts. He made up for it by exploding in the third canto for 12 points and towed the Niños to within just one, 61-62, entering the final period of action.
The Texters though, responded with aplomb as they went on a 7-0 run behind the baskets of Jimmy Alapag, Harvey Carey and Hicks to lead, 77-70.
Stephen Padilla nailed back-to-back three-point shots to pull Cebu to within three, 78-81, with 1:20 left.
Hicks then, scored on an inside foray to push the lead back up to five, 83-78 and was never threatened from thereon.
Carey added 14 for the Texters while Ali Peek contributed 13 markers. Alapag wound up with 11 points.
Forte led the Ninos with 22 points and got 17 more from Padilla.
The two teams square off once again today at 6 p.m.
