source: pba.com.ph
So Air 21 will be under tremendous pressure to win when they play Powerade on Sunday.
Their 4 p.m. matchup at the Araneta Coliseum serves as a determining factor whether the Express are
headed for a summer vacation or shall live for another day.
“It’s a knockout game for us,” Ramos agreed.
Air 21’s supposedly smooth entry in the playoffs has been placed under a cloud of doubt in the
aftermath of Talk 'N Text’s 107-102 victory against B-Meg Derby Ace (4-5) on Friday.
With their seventh win in eight games, the Tropang Texters clinched the second outright semi-final
spot while effectively securing a playoff berth for Rain or Shine (4-4) regardless the result of its
last game against San Miguel Beer (1-7) on Wednesday.
That left the Express (3-4) with no recourse but to win their two remaining elimination round
schedule against Powerade and Alaska on Wednesday.
Because nobody is discounting anything, chances Air 21 ending the elims tied with Derby Ace for the
sixth and last playoff berth or get involved in a three-way tie involving RoS and Derby Ace remains
a possibility.
Either situation, though, wouldn’t be favorable for the Express largely because of its 121-92 loss
to B-Meg Derby Aces last March 2.
With a 2-6 record, Powerade is out of the running and may no longer have the drive to go for it. But
who knows, the Tigers could pull a surprise if only to end the conference on a winning note.
“This is a last push for our team. We would fight to have it a happy one,” said Powerade coach
Bo Perasol.
Obviously, Ramos knows they can’t take the Tigers for granted so he urges his troops to give their
best.
“It’s in our hands to stay alive and be in the next round. So we have to be more aggressive than
Powerade since we still have a chance,” he said. (DBC)
source: pba.com.ph
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