MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer and Air21 clash in a do-or-die game Friday to determine the second semifinalist in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with the Beermen seeking to avoid being in the wrong side of league history at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen came into the playoffs as the second-ranked team and a loss in their 8 p.m. clash with the upset-conscious Express would make them just the ninth higher-ranked team to blow a twice-to-beat advantage.
The Express handled the Beermen quite handily the last time out, building a huge lead early and holding on to it for good.
Air21 is hoping to become the first team since Barangay Ginebra in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup to pull off the feat as the seventh seed.
Wesley Witherspoon held his own against San Miguel’s vaunted big men and Sean Anthony produced his biggest game of the tournament last Monday to keep the Express alive.
The Express scored a 92-73 decision in the first game, learning well from a very recent experience where they blew a 17-point lead going into the fourth quarter for an 85-93 loss.
The veteran Asi Taulava is matching up well against June Mar Fajardo, who has failed to dominate in any of San Miguel’s clashes with the Express.
Their first game was no different, with Fajardo held to just five points all night with Taulava denying him a spot in his comfort zone inside.
“We have to be ready for a huge San Miguel fightback,” Air21 coach Franz Pumaren said after the win.
The winner will advance against the winner of the Alaska-San Mig Coffee series, which is tied at 1-1 after the Mixers scored a 70-65 decision Wednesday night.
The rubber match of that series, as well as the Rain or Shine-Meralco tiff, will be played tomorrow, also at the Big Dome.
Meanwhile, the league’s board of governors Thursday amended the concession the three expansion squads—KIA Motors, NLEX and Blackwater—will get by pruning down the protected list of the regular squads from 14 to 12.
The league will also play with a regular 12-man roster starting next season.
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Air21 upsets San Miguel Beer to force decider