MIXERS, EXPRESS BREAK DEADLOCK

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After splitting the first two games, San Mig Super Coffee and Air21 start their battle all over again, slugging it out for the pivotal 2-1 lead in their PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinal showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday.

Having sized up one another in Games One and Two, the Mixers and the Express have surely got better ideas now on how to deal with one another, and they are likely to engage in a spirited battle of wills in their 5 p.m. tiff.

San Mig is expected to drag Air21 in a halfcourt defensive battle while the Express are tipped to press harder in a bid to push the tempo of the game.

The Mixers managed to impose their game Thursday night, holding the Express to a conference-low output in an 82-75 victory that forged the 1-1 tie in the series.

Having found the right way to play Air21, San Mig is likely to stick to it, staying focused more on defense as it seeks to close in on a third straight finals stint.

“We got back to our identity. We are, first and foremost, a defensive team. We gave up a hundred points in Game One and that wasn’t our character,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone moments after Game Two.

“We got back to our tempo in which we like to play which is put the effort on defense,” he added.

But Cone said they certainly need to play at an even higher level in Game Three in anticipation of a strong fightback by the Express.

“It’s down to a best of three, and that first game in a short series is always crucial. There’s a lot riding on it, so for sure it’s going to be a battle,” Cone said.

The Express are tipped to make adjustments that would put them in a good position to score.

Before being stopped on their tracks by the Mixers, the Express had averaged 98.6 points in their three-game streak. On Thursday, they were held to a conference-low of 75 on 26-of-69 field shooting.

In three previous victories in the conference, the Express didn’t score lower than 83.

The Mixers contained in particular Air21 import Wesley Witherspoon, limiting him to only eight.

Behind key stoppages, the Mixers came through with a 12-to-nothing closing run in the final minute of the first half to establish control and go on to win the match.

Justin Melton fired away a booming trey then got a three-point play off a steal by Mark Barroca to touch off the decisive run.

“Justin, Mark and Ping (Marc Pingris) really came out and set the tone of our run with their pressure defense. They created some offense off defense,” said Cone.

“It’s so important that we broke their momentum. They’re riding a great momentum going to this game,” Cone also said.

Cone, the league’s winningest coach with 16 championships, achieved a personal milestone with a 100th win with San Mig Coffee, and more importantly foiled Air21’s bid for a pivotal 2-0 lead in the series.

Instead, the two teams start from scratch in Game Three. (SB)

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