Saudi Gazette MANILA — Jayson Castro regained his fiery form, leading the Talk N Text Tropang Texters to a crucial 107-96 win over the GlobalPort Batang Pier Friday night in the PBA Philippine Cup. Castro finished with a game-high 25 points as the Texters nailed their sixth win in 10 games for a share of fifth to sixth spot with Barangay Ginebra. The two teams will square off Sunday, Dec. 20, on the final day of the elimination round. That all-important match will decide what team will finish in the Top 6 with the twice-to-beat advantage in the playoff. The winner will gain outright entry in that category. The loser could still join the Top 6 if Alaska (8-2) beats Barako Bull (5-5) on Saturday. In case Barako Bull wins, the Energy will place sixth in the standings via the winner-over-the-other rule since they beat both the Texters and the Kings in the elimination round. TNT defeated GlobalPort Friday despite the absence of two key players—star forward Ranidel de Ocampo, who is still recuperating from a back injury, and top draft pick and starting center Moala Tautuaa, who was down with back spasms. Their absence hardly mattered though as the Texters erased an early deficit and then took command of the game. No. 2 pick Troy Rosario stepped up in the absence of Tautuaa, posting 19 points, including three triples, on top of seven rebounds and three assists. Harvey Carey scored nine points and grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds while Larry Fonacier, Danny Seigle and Aaron Aban added nine markers apiece. The loss hardly mattered for the Batang Pier (7-4), who remained in fourth place. GlobalPort was led by its backcourt stars Stanley Pringle and Terrence Romeo, who each scored 24 points. The two combined for 11 three-pointers in the game with Pringle shooting 6-for-10 (60 percent) and Romeo going 5-for-8 (62 percent). Joseph Yeo added 14 points for GlobalPort. Trailing the Batang Pier, the Texters turned the game around with a huge 38-point explosion in the second quarter to cruise to a victory. TNT led by as many as 19 points. Star 102, Blackwater 89 The Star Hotshots defeated the Blackwater Elite, 102-89, to finish the elimination round with a 4-7 win-loss card, currently good for solo ninth place in the standings. Blackwater absorbed its eighth loss in 10 games, tying Mahindra at 10th to 11th place. The two will engage in a do-or-die match on Sunday with the loser bowing out of the conference and the winner securing the final spot in playoffs, tangling with the No. 3 team with a twice-to-win disadvantage. Peter June Simon led Star with 26 points. Four other Hotshots scored in double digits with Allein Maliksi posting 13 markers, Marc Pingris with 12 plus seven boards, and Mark Barroca and Alex Mallari adding 11 apiece. Carlo Lastimosa led Blackwater again with 18 points, ably supported by top rookie Art dela Cruz who finished with 17 markers. Riego Gamalinda added 11 while Mike Cortez and John Paul Erram chipped in 10 apiece. Games Saturday: Barako Bull Energy vs. Alaska Aces and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. NLEX Road Warriors.
