In this do-or-die match, Talk 'N Text was already badly handicapped minus Kelly Williams, Jared Dillinger, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag playing measly five minutes.
Alfrancis Chua also admitted they got a huge break with Talk 'N Text losing Ranidel de Ocampo to a calf injury.
“Everybody knows Ranidel is one of the best No. 4 guys in the league. They lost their pick and roll, and pick and pop (plays) on the ouster of Ranidel. Even then, they fought to the very end,” said Chua.
“(Being) just the seventh seed in the playoffs, going up against Rain or Shine then Talk 'N Text, I didn’t expect we’ll make the championship. The semis alone already felt like championship for us,” Chua added.
The Kings did everything right in the first half, overwhelming the Texters, 27-18, in the first quarter, 27-18, and, 34-23, in the second period.
Macklin churned out double-double numbers and Tenorio and Baracael put in at least 13 points each as the Kings went to the halftime break with a 61-41 bulge.
Tapped to defend Mitchell, Baracael also contributed on the offensive end, highlighting a 13-point first-half output by laboring to grab the loose ball then beating the shot clock buzzer with a three-pointer. Baracael, Macklin and Tenorio combined for a 17-5 salvo, tearing the game apart at 47-30 with 4:25 left in the second quarter.
But behind Mitchell and Jayson Castro, the Texters got back into the game, charging to within six at 66-72 in the third period.-ABS-CBN news
