Jayson Castro pleads for Jimmy Alapag to help TNT stay alive

MANILA, Philippines – After watching his team cough up a four-point lead with a little over a minute to go in Game 3, Talk ‘N Text head coach Norman Black entered the media room looking like a man who had just endured the toughest ordeal of his life.

Despite their unblemished 13-0 record entering the Commissioner’s Cup Finals series against the San Mig Coffee Mixers, Black had warned his troops that this five-game-war would be one of the, if not the, toughest challenges of their life. Despite SMC’s not-so-great performance in the elimination round, Black knew the Mixers were seasoned by numerous battles over the past conferences. They were a team that had gone through every challenge imaginable in the PBA, and they would be ready for whatever the Texters would throw at them in this finals encounter where a single possession could change the entire battle.

So, after witnessing his guys throw away a golden opportunity to go up 2-1 – no thanks to some questionable calls from the game’s officials – with a chance to close out the conference with a victory on Thursday, Black pleaded with the referees to govern the game better in Game 4, as one loss puts the Tropang Texters out for good, 13-0 be damned.

Meanwhile, while some members of the team streamed past the awaiting media, in anger of losing an amazing chance to take control of their best of five with SMC, Jayson Castro answered each question with absolute honesty. And after everything, the message was clear: the best player of the conference still believes his team can win this.

And to him, they have no reason to not do so.

“May mga konting adjustments,” said Castro. “Alam namin sa sarili namin, kaya namin silang talunin. Yun yung number one. So, yun yung number one na sinabi saamin ni Coach Norman.”

(We have to make adjustments. We know that we can beat them. That’s number one. So, that’s the number one thing Coach Norman said)

Prior to the game, Castro was named the Best Player of the Commissioner’s Cup plum, and then followed it up by misfiring from the field, going 8-of-24 from the floor – including 3-of-11 from downtown.

“Trinitry ko naman every day na maging aggressive. So, maybe next game, try ko talagang umatake nang umatake,” vowed the best point guard in Asia.

(I try every day to be aggressive. Next game, I’m just going to try to attack)

Still, for all of Castro’s genius, one man alone won’t beat the San Mig Coffee Mixers – not with Tim Cone coaching the team. Castro needs help. Someone who can deliver big shots down the stretch to put the icing on the cake on what has been a tremendous conference for the Texters.

Ranidel De Ocampo showed up in Game 3 after inconsistent efforts in the series’ first two matchups. Yet, TNT Nation is still waiting for one of its beloved heroes to finally show up in this duel with the Mixers, as everything hinges on the balance.

“Hindi ko alam sa mga referee eh. Nanduon naman sila eh. Hindi ko alam kung bakit tinatawagan. Kasi, nag eeffort naman siya eh,” pleaded Castro, hours after his comrade Jimmy Alapag limped to another pedestrian performance. Following a paltry combined 7-point performance in Games 1 and 2, the Mighty Mouse was anything but that in Game 3, attaining 0 points while hindered by foul trouble.

(I don’t know with the referees. They’re there, anyway. I don’t know why they keep calling fouls. He – Alapag – is putting in effort, anyway)

Castro knows his team needs Alapag to be Alapag in Game 4, as SMC is on the cusp of winning a virtual Grand Slam. And he is begging the referees to give his captain the benefit of the doubt.

“Sana naman tingnan rin yung effort ni Jimmy na walang foul minsan.”

(I hope they look at Jimmy’s effort and not call a foul)

“Kasi, even yung mga coaching staff, sinasabi sakanya. So, yung nga, nag promise siya na Game 4, magiging aggressive siya. Kasi, nagiging passive siya,” added Castro, who admitted that being recognized as the best player in the PBA this past conference is going to be nothing in comparison if the Tropang Texters carry the Commissioner’s Cup trophy within the next few days.

(Even the coaching staff has told him. So, yeah, he promised that he’ll be aggressive in Game 4, because he’s been passive)

However, Castro’s voice of confidence and pep talks from the coaching staff can only do so much. Alapag has been dominated by the defense of his Smart Gilas teammate Marc Pingris, who vowed to give 200 percent in order to help lead San Mig Coffee to a third straight championship. For all of Alapag’s genius, Pingris has figured him out, and has rendered the clutch-shooting point guard pretty much irrelevant in this series.

But come Game 4, there will be no room for excuses. The end is near for TNT, and the Mixers smell blood. Cone has shown incredible respect for the Tropang Texters in each post-game press conference, but even he will be merciless on Thursday when he instructs his guys to go for the kill at the Philsports Arena. 

And for Castro, Black, and the rest of Talk ‘N Text, all their eyes will look to Alapag. The Philippine National Team playmaker has delivered hero-like performances in the past, and he has to pull out another one from his pocket in order to help his squad force a deciding Game 5 on Sunday, May 18, live in front of thousands at The Big Dome.

“Game 4, must win kami. Kailangan namin para makaabot nang Game 5,” declared the spitfire point guard.

(In Game 4, we’re in a must-win situation. We need to win so that we cane extend the series to Game 5)

The Tropang Texters have had a remarkable conference campaign. But now, there is no more room for mental errors or other excuses. It’s time for the Texters to play like a squad that wants to make history; a team that has what it takes to be the champion of the league anew, and not just be known as the final club that stood in the way of Cone, James Yap, PJ Simon, and company as they ascended and ruled over the PBA once again. – Rappler.com