MANILA: The Talk N Text Tropang Texters gained the second semifinals berth, overpowering the crippled B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados, 107-100, Friday night in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. Import Paul Harris played like a one-man wrecking crew for TNT, churning 37 points and 13 rebounds, as the Texters notched their seventh win in eight games, thus catching up with early playoffs qualifier Smart Gilas at the top of the standings. The Llamados played with a double handicap as James Yap sat out the game anew due to his hamstring injury. Compounding Derby Ace's woes, new import Courtney Beasly was ejected with less than a minute in the game when he committed a flagrant 2 foul on TNT's Harvey Carey. But despite playing with two vital cogs gone, the Llamados pushed the Texters to the limit, even taking the lead several times in the third quarter before finally yielding to TNT's superior firepower. Derby Ace's chances of joining the playoffs suffered a major setback as the Llamados finished their elimination round schedule with a 4-5 win-loss card. They are now hanging on to solo sixth place but if Air21 (3-4) wins its last two games, Derby Ace will crash out of the conference. In the first match of Friday's double-header at the Araneta Coliseum, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bolstered their layoffs bid, bringing down the import-less Alaska Aces, 113-97. The win snapped the Painters' four-game losing streak as they climbed to solo fifth spot in the rankings, with a 4-4 card. They could snatch one of the two remaining playoffs seats with a win against the also-rans San Miguel on April 6, the last playing day of the elims. Beau Belga recorded a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds as he lorded the paint in the absence of Alaska import LD Williams who served a one-game suspension. Import Hassan Adams led all scorers with 22 points while Gabe Norwood chipped in 13 points.
