MANILA: Like a runaway train too fast and powerful to be stopped, the Talk N Text Tropang Texters once again ran over the hapless Barangay Ginebra Kings, 91-84, Wednesday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the PBA Commissioner's Cup finals. Import Paul Harris exploded for 26 points, including 14 in the pivotal fourth quarter, to lead the Texters to within a win of clinching their second consecutive PBA crown. The Texters would go for the clincher in Friday's Game 5 at the Araneta Coliseum. If they eventually win, TNT – which won the last PBA Philippine Cup title – would achieve a rare back-to-back championship, something which coach Chot Reyes has yet to achieve in his 18 years in the league. Harris also had 10 rebounds in Wednesday's Game 4 as he dominated his Ginebra counterpart Nate Brumfield who was good for only 15 points. TNT's Jimmy Alapag copped the Best Player of the Conference award, beating Ginebra's Mark Caguioa, Alaska's Joe Devance and TNT teammate Kelly Williams. Jason Castro also shone for TNT, knocking in 16 points. Ryan Reyes, Ranidel de Ocampo and Alapag added 11 points apiece. The Kings were led by Brumfield and Caguioa, who each tallied 15 points. Ronald Tubid and Mike Miller had 11 markers apiece while Mike Cortez had 10. The Kings raced to an early lead and were still ahead by 9 points, 68-59, at the start of the fourth quarter. But the Texters unleashed a furious 14-4 run as they grabbed the lead, 73-72. Harris drilled eight points in that huge onslaught. The Kings tried hard to catch up but to no avail as the Texters simply had more energy and power going into the homestretch. Harris punctuated TNT's rampage with a massive uncontested slam dunk that propelled the Texters to an 85-79 lead with 1:29 left. Ali Peek scored on a follow-up to pad TNT's lead to 87-79, silencing the more than 12,000 largely pro-Ginebra crowd as the Texters coasted to another rousing victory.
