AIR21 import Wesley Witherspoon tries to wiggle out of a San Mig double team of PJ Simon and Marc Pingris. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines — San Mig Coffee tries to put Air21 away Monday and nail the second Finals slot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with the Mixers installed as solid favorites following impressive victories in the last two games at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is 8 p.m. with San Mig expected to flaunt the same defensive intensity it showed in Games 2 and 3, where the Mixers limited the Express to an average of just 74 points.
The defensive form in the last two outings was a far cry from their lethargic stand in Game 1, where they allowed the Express 103 points to lose the series opener.
It will be up to Air21 coach Franz Pumaren to devise ways on how to get his scorers to deliver, especially Joseph Yeo and Mark Cardona, who were starved to a combined 10 points on Saturday night.
Air21, however, is expected to get a big boost today when Sean Anthony returns from a foot injury that kept him out of Saturday’s crucial game.
Anthony, the hero in the first three Air21 victories in these playoffs, had fluid removed from his left Achilles last Friday and the coaching staff deemed it best to give him the game off.
After averaging more than 22 points in the first three Air21 wins—counting two that bundled out No. 2 San Miguel Beer in the quarterfinals—Anthony limped his way to eight Game 2 points and couldn’t help the Express’ cause the way he usually does.
Should San Mig win today, the Mixers will advance to a best-of-seven championship clash with tournament No. 1 and undefeated Talk ‘N Text starting Wednesday, also at the Big Dome in Cubao.
The Tropang Texters have won all their 13 games in the tournament—the longest winning streak for the franchise— and are eight straight wins away from equaling the all-time mark of 21 held by a Crispa Redmanizers squad coached by Tommy Manotoc in 1983.
James Mays has made life difficult for the Express in the shaded lane and will be the biggest headache for Pumaren.
On Saturday, Mays pulled down a total of 32 rebounds, 19 of them offensive, as he outrebounded the entire Air21 crew by six.
Those 19 offensive boards were just one shy of the all-time record held by Michael Hackett of Ginebra San Miguel.
Mays also has a solid support cast led by two-time MVP James Yap and Peter June Simon. Marc Pingris and Mark Barroca were also big in Game 3 and are expected to again deliver for San Mig Monday.