The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters claimed their second straight championship in this season of the PBA as they captured the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup crown in dramatic fashion following a 99-96 win in overtime over the gritty Brgy. Ginebra Kings in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The title win by the Texters allowed them to take a step closer towards a historic “grandslam” after claiming the All-Filipino Cup championship earlier in the year.
The Texters, though, had to go through the eye of the needle in Game 6 as they came all the way back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth period and had to beat repeated comeback attempts by the Kings in the extra period before eventually winning the game and the series, 4-2.
The Kings appeared to have the inside track on forcing a deciding Game 7 as they erected a 81-65 lead early in the fourth period.
But the Texters had other ideas in mind as they let go of an 11-0 run that got them within four, 77-81, with 5:35 left.
Jimmy Alapag, the Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference, eventually sent the game to overtime with a daring layup with just 19 ticks left.
The Kings actually had a chance to win the game outright but Roberts Lagala missed a tough floater as time expired in regulation.
The Texters finally took control of the game in the extra session as Ranidel de Ocampo and co-Finals MVPs, Alapag and Castro, each hit three-pointers to put them in front, 97-93. The Kings came to within one after a trifecta by John Wilson with 58.3 seconds left. But Alapag pushed the lead back to three with two freebies.
The bottom fell out for the Kings on their last possession as Mark Caguioa missed on a difficult three-pointer and Miller turned the ball over as the final buzzer sounded.
Alapag put an emphatic stamp on his performance this conference by scoring 24 points while Castro added 19.
Miller had 21 for the Kings while import Nate Brumfield, who got injured late in the game, added 18