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Bacolod City, PhilippinesFriday, January 13, 2012
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Petron ready to
dethrone TNT

Three-games-to-one up and all pumped-up, the Petron Blaze Boosters go for the killer punch as they take on the beleaguered Talk n Text Tropang Texters in Game Five of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

If ever, the Boosters will yet again be the spoilers of the Texters’ dream.

Talk n Text’s title-retention bid is in the balance with the Texters on the verge of elimination versus the same team that crushed their grand slam aspiration in the last conference.

The Boosters, however, aren’t yet counting the Texters out and they're determined not to slow down in the 7:30 p.m. match

“We need one more win and we need to stay focused. The mindset must not change. We have to match their intensity and stay aggressive,” said Petron coach Ato Agustin.

Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes said Petron is proving to be the better team at the moment but stressed they won’t give the series on a silver platter.

The Texters still entertain hopes though on a deep 1-3 hole. 

“The series is closer than the score. We lost the last three games only by seven, and that gives us hope,” said Reyes.

All first four games were close with Talk n Text winning by just four in Game One, Petron prevailing by two in Game Two, again by two in Game Three then by three in Game Four.

The Boosters pulled through in the last three games showing great poise and confidence in the crunch.

“We tip our hats off to Petron. They’re making the shots they need to make and we’ve been missing the shots we’re supposed to make,” said Reyes.

The TnT bench chieftain, however, insisted they’re not about to yield.

“We’ll try to focus and find a way to win,” said Reyes, hoping they can survive and stay on track to becoming the first teams in nearly three decades to repeat as all-Filipino champs.

Petron, however, is proving to be Talk n Text’s big nightmare.

“I have to give it to the boys. Their experience is working for us. Their poise and confidence never waver,” said Agustin.*pba.com

 

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