MANILA, Philippines?For most of this Smart PBA Fiesta Cup title series, there have been magnificent offensive plays completed by Air21.

The Express have also had their share of overpowering defensive gems against Barangay Ginebra.

But after three games of the season-ending championship series, they have become, interestingly enough, quite unpopular series leaders.

That?s why when Air21 coach Bo Perasol said that they must have a fresh motivation for every game they play against the crowd-darling Gin Kings for the rest of this series, the overachieving coach actually does not need to look far.

The huge crowds that have come for the first three games have refused to acknowledge the brilliance of these Express, keeping silent on spectacular Air21 offensives while airing their disgust on great defensive gems that rightfully deserve credit.

Welcome to Ginebra Kingdom, an invisible place that the Express would need to obliterate every game before it gives the Kings the second wind they have not found in the last two games.

Perasol and his gang will step into the same hostile atmosphere in the 7 p.m. game at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Wednesday to again be unappreciated no matter what good they do.

And if that isn?t motivation enough, then nothing else would be.

?We will treat each and every game (of the remainder of this series) differently,? Perasol said Sunday night. ?We need to be able to come out with the same energy to battle Ginebra.?

Air21 is playing in its first title series, ending a long, six-year wait to finally get the chance to play for all the marbles, while Ginebra is in very familiar territory, with the Kings initially expected to have a cake walk against the Express.

But it has not turned out that way, with the Express managing to kick their games up a notch just when they needed to.

Steven Thomas has outplayed Chris Alexander in the last two games of the series, or since seeing the Ginebra reinforcement receive the Best Import trophy a few minutes before tip-off of Game 2 in Antipolo City.

His performances has so far worked wonders for Air21, which he will again lead Wednesday night with Wynne Arboleda, Arwind Santos and the most consistent Express of them all in these playoffs, Gary David.

Perasol has also gotten his role players to contribute more than what is expected of them, and the same could not be said of the others in Jong Uichico?s rotation as the Ginebra mentor has not gotten anyone outside of his regulars to truly stand out.

Except of course for Eric Menk in Game 3, where the former MVP scored 17 points.

David has teamed up with Arboleda to form a combo that could match the ?Fast and the Furious? Ginebra guard tandem of Mark Caguioa and JayJay Helterbrand.

Helterbrand was not utilized in Game 3 because of a pulled hamstring, but the urgency of the situation now facing the Gins might force Uichico to field in him.