Barangay Ginebra dethroned Talk 'N Text fair and square Sunday night, 113-100, to advance into the semifinals of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

JC Intal pumped in a career-high 28 points, including 16 in the opening half, while adding 10 rebounds in the Game 5 win that clinched for the Kings the controversy-marred quarterfinals series, 3-2.

Waiting for the league's crowd darling at the other end is top seed Alaska Aces. Game 1 of their best-of-seven semis begins on Wednesday.

Ronald Tubid finally played his best game of the series with 16 points, so did Eric Menk, while Willy Wilson had 14 and Celino Cruz and Enrico Villanueva finished with 13 and 10, respectively for the Kings, who were in control of the sudden-death game majority of the way.

The Kings also became the latest team to climb back from an 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five duel, sweeping the last three games of the series, including a 27-20 win in Game 4, which the deposed champions forfeited after walking out of the game with one minute left in the first period owing to what they perceived were biased officiating in favor of Ginebra.

Officiating was never an issue in the decisive game as Intal and Tubid came out smoking for the Kings, who raced to an early eight-point lead before settling for a 55-49 edge at the half.

Then came the big third quarter rip-off.


Cardona topscored for the Tropang Texters with 21 points - half of them in the first half - while Jason Castro and Jimmy Alapag added 18 apiece.

Talk 'N Text had no. 33 printed on their playing shirt in honor of suspended teammate Ranidel de Ocampo. The 6-foot-7 shooting forward out of St. Francis was meted a one-game suspension by the league for committing a flagrant foul 2 on Tubid in Game 4, the controversial call that eventually sparked the Tropang Texters' decision to walk out of the game. -GMANews.TV

Scores

Brgy. Ginebra 113 - Intal 28, Tubid 16, Menk 16, Wilson 14, Cruz 13, Villanueva 10, Salvacion 8, Baguio 3, Helterbrand 3, Caguioa 2.

Talk 'N Text 100 - Cardona 21, Castro 18, Alapag 18, Dillinger 17, Peek 9, Carey 8, Ritualo 5, De Ocampo Y. 4, Belasco 0.

Quarterscores: 30-22, 55-49, 88-79, 113-100.

Purefoods finally ended Rain or Shine's Cinderella story in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

James Yap scored a game-high 28 points and Marc Pingris grabbed 16 rebounds, made 14 points, and provided the hustle and heart the Giants needed in disposing of the young Elasto Painters, 95-85, and winning the decisive game of their best-of-five quarterfinals series Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Giants next face no. 2 seed San Miguel Beermen in the best-of-seven semifinals beginning Wednesday.

"It's a great relief to finally beat Rain or Shine," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio. "People thought this series was a breeze for us. But they (Painters) are quicker and younger than us, and at times in the series had bigger hearts than us. But not in tonight's game."

"I always felt that Rain or Shine is really, really a hard match-up for us," said Gregorio. "At least we finally made it to the Final Four."

James Yap sparked Purefoods offense in the third period, scoring 13 markers that helped Purefoods pad a three-point lead at the half to 80-64 in the dying seconds of the quarter.

The Elasto Painters never recovered from there as the closest they got was at 91-85.

James Yap then had a short basket and Raymundo hit a pair of free throws to push the Giants at 95-85 with only 1:37 remaining.

Sol Mercado scattered 23 points and Gabe Norwood had 20 for the Elasto Painters. - GMANews.TV

Scores

Purefoods 95 - Yap J. 28, Raymundo 16, Yap R. 16, Pingris 14, Reavis 9, Maierhofer 4, Allado 4, Artadi 2, Simon 2, Canaleta 0.

Rain or Shine 85 - Mercado 23, Norwood 20, Reyes 9, Chan 8, Arana 7, Cruz 6, Laure 6, Telan 4, Tang 2, Arellano 0, Hrabak 0.

Quarterscores: 25-26, 50-47, 80-66, 95-85.

Eddie Laure redeemed himself from a big Game Two booboo as he emerged Rain or Shine's savior in surviving a fourth knockout game in two weeks, forcing a sudden death with Purefoods in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals showdown.

Before a huge Friday crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, Laure nailed a trey coming off the bench in the final minute then the Elasto Painters made crucial defensive stops as they topped the Giants, 103-100, for the second straight game, thus, extending their battle to a deciding Game Five Sunday.

The series should have been over now if not for Laure's costly foul sending James Yap for the winning free throws with six-tenths of a second left in Game Two.

"Bumawi," said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia of Laure who knocked in the triple giving the Elasto Painters back the lead just after the Giants erased a 20-point deficit and surged ahead at 100-98. In the ensuing plays, Gabe Norwood blocked a shot by James Yap then forced Roger Yap to an error in two defensive gems helping Rain or Shine clinch the win that forced a two-game-all standoff in the best-of-five series.

"Once again, we came out to compete. We blew away a 20-point lead but credit to the players, they didn't give up and showed composure at crunch time," said Garcia.

"Hopefully, makalusot uli sa Sunday. Purefoods has the edge in experience and talent because they've been here before and they're loaded with talents. But if we're able to compete, I think we can pull off an upset," Garcia also said.

The Elasto Painters continued to fight with grit and determination as they overcame Kerby Raymundo's big return from a one-game layoff. The versatile 6-foot-6 forward exploded for 34 points, including three three-pointers that helped fuel Purefoods' searing rally in the fourth quarter.

As Raymundo scored his final basket in the night, the Giants tied the game for the first time at 98-all with 1:51 left to play. Purefoods then grabbed the lead at 100-98 as Roger Yap eluded Sol Mercado for a layup. Just when everybody in the venue thought they'd seen the last of Rain or Shine, Laure came off the bench and buoyed the Elasto Painters' spirit in drilling in a trey.

Laure, the skipper of the team, was 1-of-4 from the field when he returned to the floor at the finish. Mercado and Norwood once again delivered big numbers with the former putting in 24 points, eight assists and four rebounds and the latter logging in 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ryan Arana, Jervy Cruz and JayR Reyes were three other Elasto Painters who finished in double figures.

Raymundo tallied 34 points, seven rebounds and five assists but Purefoods' other star in James Yap struggled for only eight points.

"It was a key factor that we're able to limit James' production," said Garcia. (SB) - www.pba.ph

Scores:

Rain or Shine 103 - Mercado 24, Norwood 20, Arana 11, Cruz 10, Reyes 10, Hrabak 9, Telan 7, Laure 6, Chan 4, Tang 2, Ibanes 0.

Purefoods 100 - Raymundo 34, Pingris 20, Yap R. 19, Reavis 10, Yap J. 8, Canaleta 5, Salvador 3, Artadi 1, Timberlake 0, Simon 0, Adducul 0, Allado 0.

Quarterscores: 31-15, 50-39, 85-68, 103-100

An unexpected twist happened in Game 4 of the Talk ‘N Text-Ginebra quarterfinal match Friday after the Tropang Texters of coach Chot Reyes walked out in the game citing unfair officiating.

The Gin Kings were holding on to a 27-20 lead with exactly one minute left when Ranidel De Ocampo committed a flagrant foul against a driving Ronald Tubid.

Texters coach Reyes was the one who ordered his players and coaching staff to leave the bench and go straight to the dugout.

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) officials gave Talk ‘N Text five minutes to return on the playing court but the time expired with no Texters player getting out of their dugout.

It is not yet known how much fine would the PBA commissioners office would impose to the Texters.

With TNT forfeiting the match, the win was awarded to Ginebra that tied the best-of-five series to two games apiece.

Talk ‘N Text won the first two games, 107-92 and 106-105, while Ginebra scored a 102-97 victory last Wednesday to keep their semis hopes alive.

The deciding Game 5 will be played Sunday with the winner moving on to face Alaska in the best-of-seven semis series.

Ironically, Ginebra also walked out during its 1991 first conference finals against Shell where they were fined P500,000. - GMANews.TV

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