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Games today:
(Cuneta Astrodome)
4:30 p.m.- Air21 vs. Magnolia
6:50 p.m.- Ginebra vs. Red Bull
AFTER a two-week respite, the Red Bull Barakos and the Air21 Express plunge back to action as the semifinal round of the PBA Fiesta Cup starts today at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The Air21 Express and the Magnolia Beverage Masters clash in the first game, while the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and the Red Bull Barakos lock horns in the main game. The semis will be a best-of-seven affair.
Air21 and Red Bull finished one and two in the elimination round, giving them an automatic seat to the semifinal round.
Magnolia and Ginebra overcame their respective quarterfinal round opponents to secure a seat in the semis.
While Ginebra swept the Realtors in their best-of-three series, Magnolia had to survive a do-or-die Game Three against the Coca-Cola Tigers last Friday.
Although fatigue might be a problem for the Beverage Masters, they will be favored in today's game as Air21 will be playing without an import.
Steven Thomas flew to the United States last week to attend the Cleveland Cavaliers' training camp and will not return until Monday.
"Minus Steven, it would be very difficult but not impossible to make an upset. It would depend on how my players are going to take it mentally," Air21 coach Bo Perasol told pba.ph
Thomas averages 23.4 points and 16.5 rebounds per game in the elimination round.
"I already made big adjustments in our defensive rotation to at least minimize the effect of his absence," Perasol siad
Without the 6-foot-9 Thomas, the Express will have a tough time guarding Magnolia's seven-foot import Amal McCaskill.
The Express prevailed over the Beverage Masters in their two elimination round encounters. Red Bull also swept the Kings in their two meetings in the elimination round.
Interestingly, one of Red Bull's major headache in the series is ex-Barako Junthy Valenzuela, who was traded to the Kings in the early part of the tournament. CORRESPONDENT CALVIN D. CORDOVA
