Air21, Coke tangle for 3rd slot

A resurgent Air21 team and a skidding Coca-Cola squad clash in a playoff duel today to dispute the third outright seat in the Gran Matador Brandy PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Express, boosted by three straight wins, and the Tigers, stalled by two successive defeats, mix it up at 6 p.m. to decide who will claim the last automatic slot in the quarters and who will need to go through the wildcard play to make it to the next round.

The winner joins Red Bull and Alaska Milk in early passage into the quarters while the loser will be relegated to the wildcard battles with Barangay Ginebra, Talk n Text and Sta. Lucia Realty. The wildcard round protagonists slug it out for the fourth and last slot in the quarterfinals.

"This will surely be a war. Nobody wants to get into the wildcard and take the hard way to the quarters," said Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis.

The Tigers, who paced the field in the early goings of the classification round, have to go through this playoff following a sorry slump that had them losing seven of their last eight games.

They blew their last crack at an outright entry into the quarters on their 71-83 loss to the Talk n Text Phone Pals Friday night.

Worse, the Tigers lost ace scorer William Antonio to a twisted ankle in that game. The six-foot off-guard is a doubtful starter in today’s playoff.

The Express, meanwhile, will set out for today’s game riding the momentum of three straight victories. Curiously, Air21 made a turnaround from its so-so showing after the departure of former main man Renren Ritualo.

Air21 coach Bo Perasol is hopeful they will continue to work hard and won’t allow this opportunity slip their hands.

"Sayang ang opportunity, we have to take it," said Perasol.

Air21 and Coke split their two previous games in the All-Filipino tourney.

The Tigers scored a 104-83 rout in their first meeting during the tournament opener on March 5, then the Express returned the compliment, 107-88, last April 23.