Games today
Cuneta Astrodome
3:00 p.m.- NLEX vs. GlobalPort
5:15 p.m.- Rain or Shine vs. Barangay Ginebra
Purefoods and Talk ‘N Text were dragged into a dogfight. They battled back and forth but when the smoke cleared, it was the Hotshots who escaped with an energy-zapping victory.
Purefoods needed three overtime periods before edging past Talk ‘N Text via a 118-117 thriller last night in an out-of-town game of the 40th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym in Davao City.
Denzel Bowles finished with 30 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots, capping his 51 minutes of action with an off-balanced shot in the final 7.1 seconds of third overtime that sealed Purefoods’ hard-earned win.
Jay Washington had a chance to win it for Talk ‘N Text but a corner three-pointer failed to hit the mark as time ran out.
According to Fidel Mangonon, the league chief statistician, it was only the 10th triple overtime game in PBA history and first in the last five years.
Alex Mallari added 17 points and nine rebounds, James Yap contributed 15 while Joe Devance scored 14 for Purefoods, which tied its victim’s slate at 6-3 (win-loss) for a two-way tie at second place in the teams standings.
The Meralco Bolts lead the race with a 6-2 slate.
Purefoods got a big lift from Devance in the first overtime period where the Fil-Am forward fired eight points.
Talk ‘N Text, however, recovered and even took a 103-101 lead with 30 seconds left. Bowls came up with a big basket to tie the contest before blocking a driving Jayson Castro that sent the game into second overtime.
Talk ‘N Text suffered a major blow when its import Ivan Johnson fouled out in the overtime and Castro went down with leg cramps.
Still, the Tropang Texters kept the game close with Jay Washington scoring the bulk of his 19 points, including two crucial free throws that forced the third extra five-minute session.
BOX SCORES
PUREFOODS (118)- Bowles 30, Mallari 17, Yap 15, Devance 14, Barroca 13, Simon 10, Maliksi 9, Pingris 7, Reavis 3, Taha 0, Melton 0, Pennisi 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT (117)- Johnson 26, Castro 24, Rosser 20, Washington 19, De Ocampo 12, Fonacier 6, Alas 6, Carey 2, Seigle 2, Aban 0, Miller 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 22-18, 46-43, 66-70, 91-91, 103-103, 107-107, 118-117.
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