AIR21 STUNS SMB TO GRAB FINAL 4 SPOT

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Via a tough, tough route, Air21 made it to the PBA Final Four for the first time ever Friday night.

The Express stunned the star-studded San Miguel Beer team two in a row, the second one in a double-overtime grind, to finally become PBA semifinal qualifiers since joining the league under the Shopinas banner in 2012.

Even in losing ace local scorer Joseph Yeo to a flagrant foul 2 late in the second quarter, the Express refused to lose and instead showed great resolve in pulling off a 101-95 double overtime shocker at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Forty-one-year-old leader Asi Taulava and the rest of the Air21 gang whooped it up in the playing court and all the way to their lockers in celebrating the franchise’s breakthrough win.

Air21 scored only its first back-to-back victories in the last three conferences. The Express survived back-to-back knockout games versus the second-seeded Beermen and thus advanced to the best-of-five semifinals versus Alaska or San Mig Coffee.

“We’re gate-crashers in the semis,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren amid the din of their celebration.

“We were able to slay the dragon. I know for a fact that basketball experts didn’t give us a chance to get to the second round. It’s so satisfying to make it,” Pumaren later said in the post-game interview.

“My team really wanted this win. This team just didn’t want to lose,” Pumaren added. “We’ve overachieved. But I still hope the guys don’t get satisfied yet.”

The Beermen seemed to relax so early and they paid a hefty price for it.

Fired-up by Yeo’s cheap shot on Chris Ross late in the second quarter, the Beermen gathered together, raised the level of their game and built double-digit spreads in the third quarter.

They were very much in control until facing a determined Air21 chase at the finish.

The Express made key defensive stops before Taulava knocked in a timely putback at the buzzer as the Express forced the first overtime at 82-all.

Air21 even had the chance to win the game right in the first OT but Macmac Cardona missed a one-hand looper in the dying seconds.

But then there’s no stopping the Express from completing the shocker in the second OT.

Of 73 teams facing an opponent with a twice-to-beat advantage, Air21 was only the 10th to defy the odds.

Taulava, Wesley Witherspoon and Sean Anthony played big as the Express fought back from a nine-point deficit at the start of the fourth and outfought the foul-riddled SMB side in the extension plays.

The Beermen lost tremendous firepower on the early exit on fouls by Marcio Lassiter, Sol Mercado, Junmar Fajardo and Doug Kramer.

Earlier, the Beermen rallied behind Ross after the SMB chief playmaker was sent down to the floor in pain by a blow to the groin by Yeo with 3:15 left in the second quarter.

The Beermen spurted ahead, 43-40, at the half and roared on in the third, posting double-digit spreads with the last at 63-52.

Yeo had been Air21’s lead guy in their strong start in the game until losing his temper in a physical play with Ross. The two banged bodies at least thrice then Yeo swung a hand to Ross’ groin. (SB)

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