Japeth Aguilar came in those dying seconds to grab a crucial offensive rebound and make a three-point play as the Texters salvaged the game that assured them of a spot in the Top Two at the close of the elimination phase.
The reigning champs secure top seeding in the playoffs with a win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings Sunday.
Petron wound up at 9-5, in danger of being relegated to the best-of-three series in the quarters.
“One thing this game showed was how big our heart is,” said an ecstatic Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.
“We were playing minus five mainstays then we lost Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro. Half of our team were gone. But then the guys showed their heart. It’s all guts,” Reyes added.
The two teams fought big plays for big plays in the homestretch with Petron Blaze going up, 78-76, on a three-point play by Alex Cabagnot with 12.8 ticks left.
Shawn Weinsten missed his shot on a drive in the ensuing play but the Texters never gave up, fighting for the loose ball until Harvey Carey got it then drew a crucial foul from Arwind Santos.
Carey canned in the front end of his free throws and missed the last one.
Alas, the muffed free throw opened the opportunity for the Texters to snatch the win.
Aguilar beat everybody for the rebound and quickly scored the go-ahead shot.
With a foul to boot, the 6-foot-9 center sank the gift shot making it 80-78 in the end.
The scores:
TALK N' TEXT 80 – Williams 21, Fonacier 17, Carey 15, Castro 8, Weinstein 6, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 4, Aguilar 3, Lao 2, Raymundo 0, Alapag 0.
PETRON 78 – Miranda 15, Cabagnot 14, Yeo 12, Santos 11, Reyes 9, Ildefonso 8, Tugade 5, Guevarra 4, Doruelo 0, Baclao 0.
Quarters: 23-28, 29-40, 57-53, 80-78
By Nelson Beltran
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