BY NOLI CORTEZ

REIGNING MVP Kelly Williams already has an apt moniker –‘Machine Gun.’ After last night’s game, one can add ‘Moses.’

Williams led the way and the rest of defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty followed in a runaway 117-96 win over erstwhile unbeaten leader Talk N Text in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The three-year pro scored 21 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, fuelling the Realtors’ inexorable charge over the Tropang Texters, who seemed invincible in notching convincing wins in their first two games.

"Even with Kelly struggling in the first half, I still told my players to look for him," related coach Boyet Fernandez of his marquee player who only shot 2-of-8 from the field in the first 24 minutes of play. One of those was a long jumper that was initially ruled as a three.

"I told them to focus on Kelly because as soon as he starts hitting his shots, then their defense has to collapse on him and free up our other guys."

Williams also finished with 10 rebounds and five assists and drew immense support from his teammates, led by Nelbert Omolon’s 24 points and seven rebounds, as the Realtors bounced back from a sorry 86-89 loss to Ginebra last Wednesday.

Mark Cardona had 19 points to lead TNT, which was thrown into defensive confusion in the face of SLR’s Williams-led assault.

"It’s nice to get a win against a very strong team like Talk N Text," said Fernandez. "I think our defensive adjustment on their wings was the key."

Fernandez was referring to the likes of Tropang Texters shooters Cardona, Jimmy Alapag, Renren Ritualo and rookie Jared Dillinger, who were left scraping for points in the face of the Realtors’ quick-switching defense.

Coach Chot Reyes’ charges actually scored more three-point shots 11-7, but six of those came in the first half, the same output by the Realtors in the second half.

Also, the Realtors’ triples came at the more opportune times, like that by Joseph Yeo, which shattered the last deadlock at 63 and sparked a 12-4 run that gave them an eight-point lead going into the fourth period.

Clearly, however, it was Williams who ignited SLR’s full resurgence with 12 third quarter points.