Magnolia Beverage Masters Basketball Games Updates

Magnolia Beverage Masters Face Air21 Express As Race For Automatic Semis Spots Heats Up

Getting back with round 1 tormentors has been the pattern lately for the Magnolia Beverage Masters. And true enough, it has been successful winning four of its late five games.

Today's basketball game will have more at stake - a chance to get one of the two coveted top spots that will enable a team to automatically advance to the semifinals.

Air21 is always a tough team to beat but if the Magnolia Beverage Masters continue its winning ways as of late, I will not be surprise if we beat them.

Don't miss tonight's basketball game. As each team promised, it will be a playoff-like game. Who knows, this might be a dream match for the Fiesta Cup finals.

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RACE FOR AUTOMATIC SEMIS SPOTS HEATS UP
Top contenders Air21, Red Bull battle separate opponents

Source: PBA.ph
Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Lito Alvarez, team manager and Air21's representative to the PBA Board of Governors, was visibly ecstatic after the Express survived a late charge by the Welcoat Dragons for a 91-87 victory Wednesday last week.

"This is historic for us and the franchise," Air21coach Bo Perasol told sportswriters moments later during a post-game interview.

Their 10th win in 16 basketball games in the elimination round propelled the Express to the top of the standings of the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference and presented encouraging possibilities to their playoff campaign.

As things stand, the Express should easily land among the top 5 teams and advance to the playoffs.

But Perasol confessed their mindset at this point is to clinch the top seed or finish No.2 at the least.

The top two seeds earn outright passage to the semifinals plus the luxury of a two-week respite.

So with two basketball games remaining in their schedule, Perasol is pushing his troops to their limit – if that's what it takes – to get the job done.

Certainly, it won't be easy.

Standing in the way of the Express are no less than the Magnolia Beverage Masters – a team aching for vengeance and also aspiring to make the Final Four via the short route.

The Air21 – Magnolia Beverage Masters rematch is set at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. It follows the 4:50 p.m. encounter between Red Bull (9-6) and Welcoat (4-12).

Air21 and Magnolia Beverage Masters faced each other for the first time last May 21 with the Express walking away victorious at the end of the fiercely fought match, 97-90.

Magnolia Beverage Masters coach Siot Tanquingcen expects their rematch to be played under a playoff atmosphere.

"It's going to be great playing in a playoff atmosphere. The standings are too close for comfort so every possession really counts," Tanquingcen said.

Magnolia Beverage Masters has been playing impressive ball lately. It has won four of its last five basketball games, including tough wins against Sta. Lucia and Coca-Cola. Another win will get the Beverage Masters into a tie with the Express at 10-7.

"We have to find a way to minimize their wingmen. If we can do that, we have a good chance. Obviously, the offensive involvement of Steven Thomas would also help us a lot," Perasol said.

A Magnolia Beverage Masters victory coupled by a Red Bull win, however, will shove the Barakos to the top of the 10-team pack.

In their first encounter this conference played May 14, Red Bull walloped Welcoat 109-88. But the Dragons are not about to give the Barakos another easy night. Already out of the running, coach Caloy Garcia and his charges are geared to bow out of the season on a high note by winning their last two basketball games. (DBC)