TALK N Text — not San Miguel Beer — will be Magnolia Pambansang Manok’s championship opponent in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup.

Talk N Text brought down San Miguel,97-79, in their seventh and deciding game at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga last Sunday to earn the right to meet Magnolia in another best-of-seven title showdown.

Before Talk N Text’s victory, Magnolia coach Chito Victolero called his team as the “underdog in the coming title series.”

“We’re the underdog. We’re just being happy we’re here in the finals and we’ll just prepare hard,” added Victolero, whose team is in the Philippine Cup finals for the third time in the last four seasons.

Now, Magnolia faces another heavyweight opponent in Talk N Text, which booked a return trip to the finals with a dominant showing against the Beermen.

RR Pogoy and Mikey Williams led the Tropang Giga’s fourth win in the best-of-seven series as they combined for 47 points against the Beermen.

“We’re fortunate to be back in the finals,” added Reyes, whose team’s victory also extended the Beermen’s drought in the conference they dominated with an iron hand from 2014 to 2019.

“Our players came out with a great resolve. That’s the most important thing that happened,”said Reyes.

Pogoy, for his part, was relieved that the Tropang Giga finally won over the Beermen.

“We’re motivated,” said Pogoy, who finished with 27 points,two rebounds and two assists.

“Sa five years ko sa PBA, lagi kaming talo sa San Miguel sa playoffs. So motivation ko na manalo naman kami,” explained Pogoy in an interview posted on the official PBA website.

Actually, Talk N Text defeated Magnolia, 83-76, in their lone meeting in the conference.

But Magnolia is a much-improved team now as shown by its 4-2 series victory over No. 2 Meralco in their own semifinal showdown.

The results:

No. 1 Talk N Text vs. No. 4 San Miguel Beer
Game 1 –Talk N Text 89, San Miguel 88.
Game 2 — San Miguel 98, Talk N Text 96.
Game 3 — Talk N Text 115, San Miguel 98
Game 4 — San Miguel116, Talk N Text 90.
Game 5 — Talk N Text 110, San Miguel 90.
Game 6 — San Miguel 103, Talk N Text 90.
Game 7 — Talk N Text 97, San Miguel 79.
(Talk N Text wins series, 4-3).

No. 2 Meralco vs. No. 3 Magnolia
Game 1 — Magnolia 88, Meralco 79.
Game 2 — Magnolia 92, Meralco 78.
Game 3 — Meralco 91, Magnolia 86.
Game 4 — Magnolia 81, Meralco 69.
Game 5 — Meralco 102, Magnolia 98.
Game 6 — Magnolia 93, Meralco 85.
(Magnolia wins series, 4-2)