MANILA, 19 October 2006 — Air21 coach Bo Perasol was man enough to admit that there was practically no game plan laid out in claiming his first win in the PBA Philippine Cup.

The strategy was so simple that even kids could understand it – and that there was no science involved in bringing down one of the best prepared teams in the league.

“You’re right, there was no science there,” Perasol, whose team had come from three straight losses, told Arab News after his Express humiliated the heavily-favored Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals, 127-110, at the Araneta Coliseum.

“We knew that they (Phone Pals) are a good running team, they’re actually No. 1 in fastbreaks in the league,” Perasol added. “And for us to win, I told the players that we just had to play above and beyond their level.”

Air21 ran like crazy and tired the Phone Pals to the point of submission, breaking away in the fourth period behind career games from Ranidel de Ocampo and Gary David and the solid performance of point guard Wynne Arboleda.

From a 60-60 game after two periods, the Express came out with renewed energy for the third which the Phone Pals clearly did not have an answer to as Air21 improved to 1-3, while dealing its rock-solid foe its first loss in four outings.

Not only did the Phone Pals drop out of the lead, the loss also exposed a glaring chink in their armor of invincibility which their next foes could readily exploit.

Ranidel finished with 33 points and David scattered 30, the first time since June this year that teammates finished with at least 30.

The duo did a lot of damage in the fourth period, after Ranidel scored 15 and David, a former MVP in the commercial Philippine Basketball League, shot nine.

Arboleda, meanwhile, was splendid all around, sparking that running game to the hilt to finish with a career-best 18 assists, the first time in more than two seasons — after Red Bull’s Topex Robinson — that someone handed out such a huge number of feeds.

“We had to make it simple, because we cannot go toe-to-toe with such a strong team,” Perasol continued. “We knew we had to be aggressive and loose at the same time, and I think that spelled the difference.”

Upsets were the day’s order, actually, after Coca-Cola knocked out defending champion Purefoods, 92-77, despite missing top gun John Arigo in the second half of the day’s first game.

Little names in the Coke lineup again churned out big games, as the Tigers won for the second straight night to level their record to 2-2.

“As much as we’re underdogs (in this tournament), we go out there each and every night willing to compete.”

Ali Peek led the Tigers with 19 points, but it was players like Allan Salangsang, Chris Pacana and Jason Misolas who stepped up big time as Coke dealt the Chunkee Giants their third loss in four starts.

Salangsang matched his career-best with 16 points, Pacana, after a breakout game last week against Red Bull, had eight points, eight boards and five assists and Misolas chalked up his first career double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

“I believe in the future of this team,” Favis added. “The talent is there.”

Coke, seen by many as a promising whipping boy after losing four marquee names in the off-season, has actually brought down two heavyweights in as many nights after making Red Bull bite the dust also in the same lopsided style, 105-86, Friday night.

And playing the heavyweights will not stop, for up next for the Tigers are Talk ‘N Text at the Ynares Center tomorrow and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings Thursday next week.

“Like in all of our games, what we want is to be able to stay close in the final minutes, and hope that we end up lucky again.”

Paul Artadi’s career-high 18 points led the Giants, who played so terribly out of synch that coach Ryan Gregorio did not bother getting off his seat too much as Purefoods dropped to 1-3 overall.