The Final Score: Air21 out to sneakily hit everyone in the…you know

The replay on the big screen was conclusive. Air21’s Joseph Yeo clearly hit San Miguel Beer’s Chris Ross in the groin during the second quarter of their knockout game last April 25. When Joseph was interviewed minutes after the incident he said it was accidental. That’s right. It was accidentally on target. I’m sure Chris will concur.

I’m not sure what was funnier: that Joseph said he didn’t mean to accurately smack Chris in the no-smack-zone or that once bitter enemies Joseph – the Green Archer - and Enrico Villanueva – the Blue Eagle – barged into the PBA semis with the same team. Yeo, Villanueva, Cardona and Coach Franz Pumaren celebrated in the same huddle. Yeah, I never expected to see that.

In the same way, I didn’t expect Air21 to beat San Miguel Beer. You probably didn’t too. Hence, Yeo’s sneaky move – ninja move – was significant. The significance would’ve been different if Air21 lost. Since Yeo was ejected in the first half, losing his experience, playmaking and scoring for the rest of the game could’ve been the deathblow. Air21, however, won. Yeo’s ninja move against Ross, therefore, became a polarizing symbol for the upstarts.

Asi Taulava is ready to continue smacking age in the groin. He’s out there representing the vets. He’s out there proving that all his painstaking work in the gym has paid off. He’s out there battling young giants like June Mar Fajardo. He’s out there still winning double overtime games at 41. By converting the buzzer-beating put-back that sent the game into overtime, Asi spiked the ghost of Bal David’s winning shot in the shorts too.

Mac-Mac Cardona is ready to smack his long absence from big moments in big games in the groin. We’ve missed you Mac-Mac. Sige na nga. We missed your infuriating eh-wala-ka-pala-eh face as well. Welcome home. He’s back on the main stage where his antics, anong-height-mo gestures and teardrops clearly belong.

Sean Anthony aka The Human Bruise is ready to smack anyone in the groin on offense, defense, during timeouts. It will probably be accidental. Anthony is like a Chicago Bull. I have no idea how he ends up averaging over twenty points in two do-or-die games. I just recall how he fights for every rebound and how he dives for every loose ball. If you’re an opponent, just protect yourself at all times.

I don’t approve of Yeo’s sneaky smack down last April 25. Ejecting him was the correct punishment. However, one can appreciate the way Air21 takes big risks in order to win big games: relying on a forty-one-year-old center, starting Eliud Poligrates at PG, giving Anthony the green light to side-step like Manu Ginobili, or inserting Ogie Menor in crucial situations.

What Yeo did to Ross was likewise a risk. It could’ve cost Air21 the game. Yet it also showed what Air21 was willing to do for an improbable spot in the semis. Lahat gagawin. Eject kung eject. All out or get out. Just imagine what this seventh seed is willing to do, what other ninja moves the Express might attempt, for an even more improbable berth in the PBA Finals.  - AMD, GMA News