Beermen target No 2 vs Express

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer shoots for the playoffs second seeding – and the twice-to-beat quarterfinals bonus that goes with it – as the Beermen face possible quarters opponent the Air21 Express in the penultimate playdate of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Beermen and the Express clash in a lone match at 8 p.m. with the former in chase of a closing 7-2 win-loss mark for the No. 2 spot at the end of the elims.

Air21, on the other hand, goes for a win and the momentum heading to the playoffs against the top seed or the second-ranked team that carries a twice-to-beat advantage. 

The Express, in a possible tie with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Barangay Ginebra Kings for sixth spot, are out of contention for the best-of-three quarterfinals with an inferior quotient.

If San Miguel prevails, the Beermen end the fight for No. 2 spot, relegating the Alaska Milk Aces to the best-of-three quarters.

Alaska can catch up with SMB if the Beermen lose to the Express then the Aces beat the San Mig Coffee Mixers at the close of the elims on Easter Sunday. In that case, Alaska and San Miguel resolve their tie in a one-game playoff.

SMB coaching consultant Todd Purves said they would just focus on the game at hand tonight.

“We’re not looking at that (No. 2 spot). It’s a cliché but we just look at the particular game we play,” said Purves.

San Miguel Beer played with great energy and intensity coming from a two-week break, drubbing San Mig Coffee, 97-88, in a crucial match Saturday to inch closer to claiming the other twice-to-beat bonus.

Beaten by the Aces in their most recent game last March 29, the Beermen played with so much focus as they bounced back with a dominant win over the Mixers.

“I didn’t know how to come out from that break. We just did our best, using it wisely to prepare for the two-time champion San Mig Coffee,” said Purves.

The Beermen will now be the heavy favorites in their second game after the All-Star break.

Air21 is a team that hasn’t won over San Miguel Beer since their second meeting in the same tourney last year.

The Express have fallen to seventh place in the current tourney after dropping four of their last five games.