By Josh! Hobbling Smith wins it

MANILA, Philippines -  In the end, it was the big man with a big issue who delivered the big shot.

Burly Josh Smith, who was uncertain to play due to ligament tear in his right foot to the very eve of the title series, fired a last-gasp baby hook in the closing seconds to lift Talk N Text to a 104-102 victory over San Miguel Beer in the opener of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

 With the game tied at 102 with 7.6 seconds to go, Smith attacked the post defense of June Mar Fajardo and hit the dagger shot as the Texters grabbed the head start in the best-of-seven title playoff.

TNT coach Nash Racela said Smith showed a big heart under extreme pressure as he lifted the Texters to the pulsating Game One triumph.

“I screwed up in the last play. San Miguel did a good job denying Jayson (Castro) the ball. It’s really good Josh had that presence of mind to get the ball and attack June Mar. He had no choice but to create and he did,” said Racela.

It was actually Smith, Castro and RR Pogoy who pulled off the win for the Texters in the absence of two key players in Ranidel de Ocampo and Ryan Reyes.

“It’s always crucial to get the first win. Doing it without Ryan and Ranidel and with Josh not 100 percent, that’s something that’s very important. It means the other guys delivered well,” said Racela.

Hobbling and all, Smith still punished the Beermen at the post, collecting a total of 21 points that went with nine rebounds.

Pogoy fired 5-of-9 three-pointers and finished with a career-best total of 27 points while Castro came up with a near triple-double performance with 14 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Fajardo, Charles Rhodes, Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross carried the load for the Beermen as they battled the Texters in a duel of spurts that went down-to-the-wire.

The Beermen came through with the last biggest run in the contest – a 13-4 tear capped by two free throws by Ross that tied the count at 102.

Smith, however, canned in their final play and saved the night for the Texters.

“For me, Game One is very important. We wanted this, but the breaks didn’t go our way. We worked hard but came up short,” said SMB coach Leo Austria.

“We have less than 24 hours to realize what’s going on, but definitely we’ll make the adjustments,” Austria added.

Game Two is set at 7 p.m. tomorrow, with Smith’s status remaining a game-day decision.

The Texters cranked up on offense in the second period, hitting at a 52-percent clip to race ahead, 56-51, at the half.

From a nine-point deficit late in the first period, the Texters posted a couple of eight-point margins in the second quarter before settling for a five-point halftime lead.

Cabagnot came through with a three-point play off Kris Rosales with two seconds to go as the Beermen closed in going into the final half.

Rhodes pumped in back-to-back treys then banged in a thunderous jam as SMB posted an early nine-point lead at 31-22.

But then Smith had his own binge to spark the TNT turnaround in the second quarter.

Rhodes had collected 21 points and six rebounds while Smith had 14 markers and three boards by the half.