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Take your pick: The perennial contenders versus the Final Four gate-crashers.

San Mig Super Coffee and Air21 start their battle in the other side of the PBA April sizzlers Tuesday – a curious confrontation between the logical hands-down pick versus the sentimental favorite.

The Mixers and the Express mix it up in Game One of their PLDT TVolution PBA Commissioner’s best-of-five semifinal showdown at 8 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

San Mig Coffee is the natural choice with its battle-tested warriors who’ve been in all the last seven PBA Final Fours, finalists in four of the last six tourneys and champions in the last two conferences.

Air21 (Shopinas.com), on the hand, has just made it past the Final Eight for the first time ever, but is raring to make the most out of the opportunity.

While the Mixers pursue a rare hat-trick following their title runs in the Governors’ Cup and in the Philippine Cup, the Express are now after further breakthrough.

For in their first seven PBA conferences, Air21 had never finished better than eighth place. The Bert Lina-owned franchise was 10th and dead last in five tourneys.

The Express gained a big breakthrough when they twice shocked the second-seeded San Miguel Beermen in their quarterfinals matchup.

Air21 coach Franz Pumaren vows they will play their role as “a deserving challenger.”

“My players are all excited to be part of the Final Four. We know we’ll be playing a champion team rich in tradition and championship experience. But in spite of being underdogs, we will make the most out of the opportunity,” said Pumaren.

San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone does consider Air21 a threat, promising not to take them lightly.

“We know we’re playing a team that is coming in very confident. They do pose some tough matchups for us with their perimeter big men shooters, and (Asi) Taulava is certainly playing at an All-Star level,” said Cone.

Somehow, Air21 is different from the rest of the field as its import Wesley Witherspoon is more of an outside operator, leaving Taulava to take care of the paint.

Joseph Yeo and Mark Cardona are steady contributors in wing spots while Sean Anthony has just emerged an added force at forward position.

Anthony has averaged 17 points and 8.4 rebounds in five games as an Express. Taulava norms double-double numbers with 13 points and 10 rebounds an outing while Yeo and Cardona contribute 11.45 and 10.00 points, respectively, a game.

Witherspoon has solid all-around averages of 27.83 points, 9.67 rebounds, 1.67 assists, 1.67 steals and 1.0 block against 2.83 errors.

A defensive and halfcourt-game-playing team, San Mig Coffee has just two players averaging in double digits – James Mays (20.64) and PJ Simon (12.50).

The Mixers, however, are likely to impose their game on the Express, dragging them to a deliberate halfcourt battle.

“No secret to our game plan, we just hope to grind out wins with our defense and inside play,” Cone said.

The Mixers walloped the Express, 97-84, in their elimination-round tiff.
(SB)

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