Powerade’s JV Casio hits a buzzer-beating triple to force an overtime in Game 3 of their PBA finals against Talk ’N Text Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Talk ’N Text won, 133-126, to move a win away from the title. (Tony Pionilla)

Game Friday (Smart-Araneta Coliseum)

6:45 p.m. — Talk ’N Text vs Powerade

MANILA, Philippines — Talk ’N Text coach Chot Reyes said that in winning Game 3 in overtime they have made a giant leap towards their goal: To retain the PBA Philippine Cup.

But whether they can make the “final step” is one thing they have to do with concerted efforts today when they clash with the Powerade Tigers in Game 4 of their best-of-seven title series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

From the looks of it, they have everything on their side: Momentum, manpower and history.

But Reyes is not taking any chances, especially against a team determined to avoid the embarrassment of losing a championship via a sweep.

“It’s still not over. We still need to make the final step,” Reyes said after the Texters escaped with a thrilling 133-126 overtime win over the Tigers Wednesday night that gave them a commanding 3-0 lead in the seven-game showdown.

Game time is set at 6:45 p.m. right after the PBA awards the Best Player of the Conference where Petron’s Arwind Santos and guard Alex Cabagnot, B-Meg’s James Yap, and Powerade’s Gary David and Marcio Lassiter are the top contenders.

TNT hopes to become the sixth team in league history to score a sweep in a best-of-seven series and fourth in the finals duel. The last team to win a title via a 4-0 sweep was B-Meg (formerly Purefoods) versus Alaska during the same conference in 2009.

If the series will end now in favor of TNT, the franchise will be the first team to retain the All-Filipino conference in 27 years or since Great Taste won the title in 1984 and 1985. It will also be Talk ’N Text’s third AFC in four seasons.

“What we have to watch out is we’ll play a team that has nothing to lose,” said Reyes, who eyes his eighth title, which will tie him with former SMB/Ginebra mentor Jong Uichico in the all-time list at No. 4 behind the Baby Dalupan’s 15, Tim Cone’s 13 and Norman Black’s 10.

“We know how Powerade feels and thinks right now. We’ve got to take that into heart. We just have to keep our focus in the next game, nothing else, just the next game,” he added.

Powerade coach Bo Perasol, who is only in his second finals appearance and is aiming for his first PBA championship said they’re not giving up even if there’s no team that ever won a series or title after going down 0-3.

3-TEAM TRADE

A proposal of a three-team trade, involving marquee players, was submitted yesterday to the PBA Commissioner’s office with Ginebra’s JC Intal going to Barako Bull in exchange of rookie forward Dylan Ababou.

Intal and Barako’s 2012 second-round pick will then go to B-Meg for Kerby Raymundo. Barako will then send Raymundo to Ginebra for Ronald Tubid, Reil Cervantes and 2014 second-round pick.

The trade proposal, however, still needs the approval of Commissioner Chito Salud.