THE underdogs will try to pull the rug from under their more favored rivals in do-or-die matches of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal round on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Air21 and Rain or Shine hope to carry the momentum they built after winning Game Two of their respective series to force deciding rubber matches against Alaska and Barangay Ginebra.
But they know it won’t be that easy.
“We will do our best to pull off the upset,” said Express head coach Bong Ramos, whose wards collide with the Aces at 5 p.m.
Air21 forced Game Three in the best-of-three series after scoring a 94-84 triumph the other night. It was actually the Express’s third do-or-die win in the tournament and Ramos hopes to clinch it on Wednesday to arrange a best-of-five semifinal showdown with No. 1 seed Talk ’N Text.
“Who knows? Baka doon talaga kami magaling, sa do-or-die game,” he said.
Alaska is picked over Air21 to advance to the next round but the Aces found the Express as hard nuts to crack. They won the series opener, 91-89, but that hardly impressed their coach.
“It’s been a struggle for us in the series. We’ve had a hard time finding our rhythm and at times, we’re confused defensively,” said Alaska head coach Tim Cone. “But we see some signs that we’re finding our way out and I think we will be fine.”
Air21 import Alpha Bangura has been the thorn for the Aces’ defense and is averaging 30 points per game in the series. Danny Seigle, Leo Avenido and Josh Urbiztondo also played key roles in series-tying Game Two.
Cone needs an all-around effort from import LD Williams, who only had 17 points in 43 minutes and allowed Bangura to sizzle with 40 points in their previous encounter.
In the main game, the Elasto Painters will try to send the remaining San Miguel Corp. team in the conference packing in their 7:30 p.m. encounter.
San Miguel Beer and B-MEG Derby Ace, teams under the SMC umbrella, were already eliminated, leaving the Kings as the giant company’s only hope to send a team in the semifinals.
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, the last time there was no SMC team in a crucial stage of a conference was in the 1995 Commissioner’s Cup. And this is what Rain or Shine is aiming for to reach the next round, where No. 2 seed Smart Gilas-Pilipinas is waiting.
“For sure Ginebra will make adjustments in Game Three,” said Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao after their 113-97 demolition of the Kings in Game Two on Sunday.
“I think the crucial thing for us is to start really well both in offense and defense and contain their guards Willie Miller, Mark Caguioa and Ronald Tubid,” he added.
Rain or Shine shot well from beyond the arc, hitting 15 treys—six from Ronjay Buenafe—while the Kings struggled offensively early on and although they came back in the third period, the Elasto Painters showed composure and thwarted that rally.
Meanwhile, in celebration of its 36th year, the PBA is giving away raffle items to its loyal fans who have supported Asia’s first play-for-pay league through the years.
On Wednesday the league will raffle off a dvd unit, five Cash n’ Carry gift certificates, and an iPod-Shuffle as part of its “PBA 36th Anibersaya Week.”
A motorcycle and seven gift certificates from Puregold worth P400 each await the fans on April 15, while a four-year full-scholarship program at Informatics courtesy of the 10 participating teams, a radio, and a walkman cap will be raffled on the final day of celebration on April 17.
A double-header featuring Mariwasa Noritake against Concepcion Carrier in the curtain raiser, and Toyota opposite U-Tex in the main game and witnessed by a crowd of 18,000, officially opened the PBA on April 9, 1975, at the historic Araneta Coliseum 36 years ago, with Concepcion’s Joy Dionisio scoring the memorable first-ever basket in the history of the league.
