One on side features the reigning Commissioner’s Cup champion; on the other side is the only team that made the Final Four of each conference last season.
TALK N TEXT VS RAIN OR SHINE
EVENTS: Live Streaming & Full Game Replay
Where: Smart Araneta Coliseum
When: Sunday December 6, 2015
Rain or Shine pursues a top two aspiration while TNT chases an outright quarterfinal berth as the two teams face off in a marquee matchup in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Before losing two of their last three games, the Tropang Texters are also in strong contention for the Top Two which reward automatic spot in the Final Four.
Still, TNT plays a key match concerning a bid for the top six or a twice-to-beat advantage in the first stage of the two-phase quarterfinals of the all-Filipino tourney.
Talk ‘N Text uses 17-0 start en route to dominant win over Rain or Shine
The Talk ‘n Text Tropang Texters took the fight out of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters right from the very start to cruise to an easy 95-85 win in the SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup Sunday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Top pick Moala Tautuaa finished with a career-high 27 points and eight boards, while second overall selection Troy Rosario recorder 19 and 11 as they led the relentless attack by Talk ‘N Text that started the game on a 17-0 blitz and never looked back.
The Tropang Texters went unstoppable from the opening tip, holding the Elasto Painters scoreless for almost the first six minutes of the game while also firing on all cylinders and making almost every basket they attempt.
A triple by Aaron Aban in the closing moments of the opening frame pushed Talk ‘N Text’s commanding lead to 25, 34-9.
Rain or Shine, the league’s top offensive team, just struggled to convert a field goal in the first half, even missing all of its 15 triples during that juncture.
The Elasto Painters never posed a threat the entire game as Talk ‘N Text improved to 5-3, good for a share of fourth place in the team standings.
Jeff Chan scored 15 points for Rain or Shine that slid to 6-2 and missed a chance to grab a tie for the first spot. They also saw the end of their three-game win streak.
The scores:
TNT 95 – Tautuaa 27, Rosario 19, Fonacier 9, Castro 9, Rosser 8, Reyes R. 8, Carey 4, Miranda 4, Williams 4, Aban 3, Reyes J. 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 85 – Quinahan 21, Chan 15, Cruz 14, Almazan 13, Ahanmisi 8, Trollano 5, Belga 3, Nimes 2, Norwood 2, Matias 1, Tiu 1, Ibanes 0, Ponferada 0.
Quarters: 34-11, 50-27, 70-54, 95-85