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It was a magical February 11, 2009 for the Talk N Text Tropang Texters and the Alaska Aces in the Big Dome, the place where many lives were changed (including Patricia Hizon's), the Araneta Colosseum. It was, at last, the finals.. It was Game 7, finally! Alaska was probably very very frustrated when it lost Game 6 on February 8.
It was a great battle from the beginning. Shots just rained from both teams. But, I guess, it was Talk N Text's perseverance that made the Aces bow. The team has a lot of new comers, a lot to learn, so little experience compared to Alaska's veterans. How did these youngsters win then? Maybe, just maybe, they were more challenged than the Aces. For example, a quizbee champion would think of her young opponent as inferior and not as a threat while the latter would be challenged by her competitor, right?
I'm not saying that Alaska is a non-persevering team. Maybe, it was just TNT's time to shine. It was destiny and hardwork that brought them from second to the lowest to second; otherwise, Miller and Devance (not sure!) would not have missed 4 consecutive freethrows in the games' critical seconds (i think). Otherwise, Coach Chot Reyes would have not defeated the strategies of the more experienced Coach Tim Cone.
Let me say this, I'm very very happy for TNT. They deserve the championship after all they've been through. Macmac Cardona deserves the Finals MVP title after all the boos he had to endure. Alapag, Carey, Peek, Castro, Dillinger, Ritualo, the de Ocampo Brothers, and the rest of the gang deserve the championship after all the pain and things they did for the team. I'm not bitter at all!
Scores:
Talk ‘N Text 93 – Cardona 23, Castro 19, de Ocampo R. 12, Alapag 10, Peek 10, Ritualo 9, Carey 7, de Ocampo 2, Dillinger 1, Aljamal 0.
Alaska 89 – Miller 22, Hugnatan 17, Devance 14, Tenorio 10, Fonacier 10, Ferriols 6, Thoss 4, dela Cruz 4, Cariaso 2.
Quarterscores: 20-23, 47-41, 73-63, 93-89.
I guess I have fallen more and more deeply in love with PBA as a whole. To be honest, I don't have a team anymore. Pasenxa na, Jamships and mga Kaparokya, but I guess it's parting time. I don't want to be dishonest with you guys, but, I can't also be dishonest with myself. I love all teams, all players with the exception of those who hurt others intentionally. I'm happy with this mentality that I have right now. Masaya ako na inaappreciate ang galing ng LAHAT ng players, no matter where they come from. Sabihin ng balimbing ako or what, pero wala akong magagawa kung ramdam ko na mahal ko ang buong PBA di ba?
Another thing, I'm happy for my schoolmates! A big round of applause for Pong Escobal, Yousif Aljamal, LA Tenorio and Renren Ritualo who stayed in San Beda during their college/highschool days. Thank you for, once again, bringing pride to our Alma Mater.
Championship means "see you later, PBA." I thank PBA, as a whole, for another wonderful conference. I'll gladly yet impatiently wait for the upcoming 2009 Motolite Fiesta Conference with my hopes of seeing the likes of Simon, Salvador, Dela Cruz, Mercado, Dillinger, Baguio, Yap, Raymundo, Salvacion, Menk, Macapagal, Gonzales, Reyes, Norwood, and others play again. I'll wait for the chance of seeing The General, Rommel Adducul play for the Giants as well as the chance of rating the performances of new players and traded ones.
*This has been the 2009 PBA Philippine Cup on C/S 9*
