MANILA: The Talk N Text Tropang Texters emerged as the top seed going into the 2010-2011 PBA Philippine Cup playoffs, overpowering the Air21 Express, 103-89, Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum. The win was the Texters' fifth straight and11th overall in 14 games as TNT tied early elims finisher San Miguel Beermen at the top. However, because of its better quotient, TNT pushed San Miguel to the second spot. Nevertheless, both teams will enjoy a win-once edge over their respective quarterfinals opponent while the four other quarterfinals engage in a best-of-three series. Kelly Williams led the Texters with 15 points while Harvey Carey added 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Four other Texters scored in double figures – Ryan Reyes with 13, Jason Castro 12, and Jared Dillinger Aaron Aban 11each. Talk N Text also topped the elims in the last conference. The loss was Air21's eighth against six wins. But the Express can still avoid the seventh or eighth seeding, which has a twice-to-win handicap, if Rain or Shine loses against Meralco and Alaska drops its game against Powerade Wednesday. In Sunday's other game, the Barangay Ginebra Kings plastered the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 99-88, to finish the elims with a 10-4 win-loss card. Although already assured of the No. 3 spot in the playoffs even before the game, the Kings wasted no time to assert their full might after a sorry loss to the Texters last Wednesday. The loss virtually sent the Painters crashing out of the Top 6 as they fell to a 5-8 slate. They play the Meralco Bolts on Wednesday, the last day of the elims. Rain or Shine can only finish seventh or eighth and will be pitted against either Talk N Text or San Miguel. The Kings' opponent and that of No. 4 seed B-Meg Derby Ace will be determined after Wednesday's games, which will also see Alaska battling the already eliminated Powerade Tigers. Willie Miller topscored for the Kings with 19 points, 11 of them in the third quarter when Ginebra broke away from a close game with Rain or Shine. The Painters played minus top gun Sol Mercado who sat out the game on doctor's advice. Tyrone Tang led Rain or Shine with 17 points.
