Sports: TNT: We are the Champions!

It took the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters “just” five games to defeat the surprising Powerade Tigers in their best-of-seven series affair for the 2011-12 Philippine Cup diadem of the Philippine Basketball Association after thumping their foes in Game 5 via an easy 110-101 triumph over at the Big Dome Sunday night.

TNT could have won the All-Filipino crown as early as Wednesday in Game 4 albeit the Tigers had other things in mind in scoring a thrilling 100-97 victory behind main man Gary David’s 35 markers on 11-of-20 field goal shooting and 11-of-12 success from the stripe. David was named the Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference for his offensive efforts (several 30+ points production in the playoffs).

In Game 5, “El Granada” once again topscored for Coach Bo Perasol’s charges with 37 huge points albeit the Tigers were visibly outshone by the title-hungry Tropang Texters who won their third crown in the last four conferences as well as their fifth overall (sixth if the 1998 PBA Centennial trophy would be included) since assuming the Pepsi franchise back in the mid-90s.

Former Sta Lucia guard and erstwhile Rookie of the Year winner Ryan Reyes led TNT in that particular title-clinching match of the race-to-four titular showdown against Powerade with his all-around performance for winning mentor Vincent “Chot” Reyes particularly when he accounted for a PBA record 10 steals versus the hapless Tigers.

However, Larry “The Assassin” Fonacier was adjudged as Finals Most Valuable Player by the PBA Press Corps even though he scored a measly nine markers in last Sunday’s Game 5 after the former Ateneo Blue Eagle played consistently not only in the entire elimination round for TNT but particularly in the title series against Powerade.

Your Sideline Spectator is likewise all praises for the former ROY winner in Fonacier after he made it to his fifth finals affair in a row, one with Alaska and four with TNT, after he was traded by the Aces prior to the 36th season of the PBA. In all, Fonacier has won four PBA crowns in the last five conferences (1 Alaska, 3 TNT).

Also earning their very first PBA titles are Japeth Aguilar, Riego Gamalinda, Pamboy Raymundo, Shawn Weinstein and reserve Magnum Membrere while players like Gilbert Lao, Charles Waters, Emerson Oreta and Aaron Aban became automatic members of the champion team despite seeing action sparingly for the PLDT franchise of Manny V Pangilinan.
Other members of the reigning All-Filipino titleholders for the second year in a row are the seldom-used yet defense-minded Rich Alvarez, Harvey Carey, Jayson Castro, Jarred Dillinger, former MVP Kelly Williams, Ali Peek, Ranidel De Ocampo and reigning MVP Jimmy Alapag.

This would be the Tropang Texters’ fourth Philippine Cup crown after the 2003, 2008-09 and 2010-11 All-Filipino titles. TNT also won the 2010-11 Commissioner’s Cup which they will defend starting February 10 with reinforcements tapped by the 10 ballclubs sans any height limit as imports. Last season, Talk ‘N Text had Paul Harris as its foreign player with TNT besting Nate Brumfeld and the rest of Ginebra, 4-2, in the finals.

Reportedly, the Tropang Texters will parade Omar Samhan as its reinforcement while Ginebra will bring back former Best Import awardee Chris Alexander who gave the Kings their last PBA title a couple of years back. For the Tigers, it will be Dwayne Jones according to PBA.ph.

Other possible reinforcements are Marcus Douthit for Air21 Express (former Shopinas.com), Nick Fazekas of Petron Blaze, Denzel Bowles of B-Meg, Matt Haryasz of Alaska, NBA veterans Jelani McCoy of Meralco and Jake Voskuhl of Rain or Shine while the import for Barako Bull is yet to be divulged with 10 days to go before the Commissioner’s Cup opening.
For now, the Tropang Texters will have to savor their latest titular win even for a short period if only to erase the stigma of their bitter setback at the hands of Governor’s Cup tormentor Petron in last season’s championship series. The Blaze Boosters were also responsible for TNT’s Grand Slam failure during the 2010-11 wars although they’re (TNT) right on track for a second try in the PBA’s 37th offering.For the victorious Tropang Texters, all they can say to the other teams, without batting an eyelash, is: “been there, than that!” when it comes to winning PBA titles in this era alone. Congratulations to TNT for winning the All-Filipino title, the first team to do so after 27 long years in duplicating the fabled Great Taste Coffee Makers’ feat (1984-85 back-to-back All-Filipino titles).*

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