Both teams are tied with two wins apiece heading into Game 5 on Wednesday also at the Big Dome.
After scoring just nine points in Game 3, James Yap – the reigning MVP – exploded with 26 points, including a three-point play off Kelly Williams that gave the Llamados an 84-78 lead with 4:51 left.
The Tropang Texters had earlier come to within three points, 78-81, on a jumper by PJ Simon with 5:20 left in the third period.
“We had a good run in the third, but momentum shifted to Talk ’N Text (in the fourth period),” B-Meg rookie coach George Gallent said. “It’s good that the boys had the heart to win this game.”
“We’re not making our shots. We relaxed a little bit on defense (in the fourth quarter). I can’t say anything, the boys gave their all,” Gallent added.
Yap, who averages 16.5 points this conference, said that Talk ’N Text gave him a different look on defense in a 78-92 loss in Game 3, but B-Meg’s coaching staff did a good job to give him an open shot.
“Na-surprise kasi kami sa defense nila (in Game 3), nag-double team.
Pero naka-adjust kami,” said Yap, who went 10-of-21 against the defense of Jimmy Alapag, Aaron Aban and Rich Alvarez.
B-Meg also got solid contributions from its bigmen, particularly veterans KG Cañaleta and Marc Pingris, as well as sophomore Rico Maierhofer, who had three crucial baskets – a putback and a pair of two tip-ins.
Ahead by just four points, 94-90, Maierhofer’s tip-in off a missed triple by Yap gave the Llamados a 96-90 lead with 33.8 seconds left in the game.
“Yun ang role ko, more on offensive rebound,” said Maierhofer, who had 10 points and seven rebounds, including six offensive boards. “Before I came in the fourth quarter, coach told me to just to my thing, which is get rebounds.”
Cañaleta, a four-time Slum Dunk champion, finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, his first double-double in two seasons, while Pingris had 13 and 11 boards, his first double-double this conference.
From a 20-15 advantage after the opening quarter, B-Meg increased its lead to 48-35 as Yap and Cañaleta went 5-of-5 from three-point territory.
Talk ’N Text coach Chot Reyes said B-Meg did a very good job offensively, but credited his players for fighting back. They actually had a chance to move even closer but the breaks of the game, he said, went to B-Meg.
The scores:
B-MEG DERBY ACE 98 — Yap J. 26, Cañaleta 19, Simon 16, Pingris 13, Maierhofer 10, Allado 8, Villanueva 5, Timberlake 1, Yap R. 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT 93 — Alapag 22, Peek 17, Fonacier 15, Castro 11, Reyes 11, Williams 6, Aban 5, Carey 3, De Ocampo 2, Dillinger 1, Alvarez 0.
Quarters: 20-15, 48-35, 76-57, 98-93.
Source: www.snowbadua.com
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