By DOMINIC MENOR
TODAY Reporter

Talk ’n Text opened defense of its title on a positive note by defeating San Miguel, 93–89, on opening day last night of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Gran Matador One Philippines Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Starting power forward Mark Telan scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, most of those conversions uncharacteristically around the perimeter.

But it was his driving lay-up off Willie Miller’s hand-off pass with 1:11 left in the game that pushed the Pals ahead by a comfortable 89–85 margin and helped Talk ’n Text to seal the first victory in the league’s 30th season.

„It was Mark’s game that gave us a big lift tonight,“ coach Joel Banal said. „We knew San Miguel wasn’t going to play loose. They were going to give us a hard time defensively.“

And no Pal felt that more than reigning league Most Valuable Player Asi Taulava, who only had five points in the first three quarters. Taulava’s baby hook inside the five-minute mark capped a 9–0 run that gave Talk ’n Text a 79–76 lead.

An exchange of baskets ensued where San Miguel either tied the score or Talk n Text took a two-point lead. Miller’s interception of an Olsen Racela bail-out pass at the 1:30 mark of the fourth period led to the Telan insurance lay-up.

Taulava finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Pals, who won despite being outnumbered in rebounding (50–43) and assists (22–17).

But Talk ’n Text forced the Beermen to 25 turnovers with Racela and former two-time MVP Danny Ildefonso coughing up six errors each.

The Pals had a huge 26–5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Starting two-guard Dondon Hontiveros and relief forward Brian Gahol scored 17 points each to lead the Beermen. Starting center Dorian Peña finished with 14 points and a game-high 21 rebounds.

In an effort to increase shooting percentage, the league utilized the widely-promoted GL7-model by Molten.

And Sunday’s long-distance shooters, using the FIBA-sanctioned roundball, did not embarrass.

Telan and Gahol, both power forwards, score a combined four-of-five from three-point range. Telan, who flew with Taulava to Florida in the offseason to join a two-week training camp for big men, did not miss on two attempts.

Three other players shot at least 50-percent.

San Miguel starting forward Nic Belasco hit two-of-three triples, while Hontiveros made five-of-10.

Pals playmaker Jimmy Alapag shot three-of-six triples.

The Beermen shot a collective 11-of-27 trifectas for 40.7-percent.The two teams barely showed any rust coming out of the offseason as both shot decent percentages from the field.

A total of 9,323 paying fans attended the opening ceremonies, which kicked off the new October to July PBA season. The league will also use a two conference format, ditching the old scheduled featuring three tournaments a year.

Amidst the flurry of negativity surrounding the league’s built up for its 30th anniversary, the PBA shot off to a rousing opening ceremony Sunday. Among the negative issues of late are the Fil-foreign controversy and claims of mishandling PBA-sanctions tournaments outside the country.