MANILA: The Talk N Text Tropang Texters warded off the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 102-99, Sunday night to emerge as the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs of the 2011 PBA Commissioner's Cup. The Texters finished the elims with an 8-1 win-loss card, pulling down early semis qualifier Smart Gilas (7-2) to the No. 2 spot. TNT raced into a 20-point lead in the first half, repulsing every rally Ginebra could muster. The Texters thus extended their win streak to eight – the longest in the conference. Ginebra finished the elims with a 5-4 slate and will wind up either fourth or fifth depending on the results of the elims' last play date Wednesday. The Kings had a chance to send the game into overtime but Nate Brumfield and Mark Caguioa missed potential game-tying shots seconds before the final buzzer sounded. Import Paul Harris led TNT with 23 points while four other Texters scored in double figures. Brumfield led Ginebra with 26 points while Caguioa finished with 25. In the first match of the Sunday double-header at the Araneta Coliseum, the Air21 Express kept their hopes alive of qualifying for the playoffs, mangling the also-rans Powerade Tigers, 108-98. Import Alpha Bangura led the Express with 32 points. He got plenty of support from Danny Seigle who scored a second straight double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Dondon Hontiveros also played a solid game, churning 17 points and seven rebounds. Tigers' import Martin Zeno led all scorers with 37 points and 12 rebounds failed to draw the support of his local teammates. Their fourth win in eight games tied the Express with the idle Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at fifth to sixth spot in the rankings. Both the Express and Painters play their last elimination round games Wednesday with the Express needing to win against the Alaska Aces (5-3) to qualify for the playoffs. Wednesday's other match pits the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (4-4) against the also-rans San Miguel Beermen (1
