WITH the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup title showdown now tied at one game apiece, defending champion TNT and San Miguel Beer clash anew in the pivotal Game 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Friday.

The winner of the 5:45 p.m. encounter between the two best teams in the conference will take a 2-1 lead and a big psychological advantage in the series marked by changing fortunes.

The Tropang Giga drew first blood with a nail-biting 86-84 win on Jayson Castro’s buzzer-beating basket last Aug. 21, but the Beermen equalized with an inspiring 109-100 triumph on Aug. 24.

The series is now reduced to a best-of-five with the Tropang Giga now looking for a pay back and the Beermen gunning for a back-to-back victory before another expected big Friday crowd.

Both the Tropang Giga and the Beermen claimed it’s still anybody’s series but admit the winner of Game 3 will gain a tremendous psychological advantage in what is shaping up to be “a war of attrition.”

“We’re so happy nanalo kami at hindi kami na 2-0 kasi mahirap na makabawi from 2-0 deficit,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria in an interview posted at the official PBA website.

”Lagi kaming lamang pagdating ng third quarter pero nagre-relax kami. (In Game 2), andun yung killer’s instinct,” added Austria.

Austria will again be pitted against TNT assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga in a virtual chess match.

Arespacochaga willl call the shots for the Tropang Giga for the second straight game since head coach Chot Reyes left to join the Gilas Pilipnas team in the FIBA qualifier in Beirut, Lebanon.

But while Austria is again expected to get good games from PBA “Best Player of the Conference” frontrunners June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez and Vic Manuel.

Arespacochaga is keeping his fingers crossed that TNT superstar Mikey Williams will be in good condition.

Williams hurt his left knee early in the game and managed to score only seven points on a 3-of-10 shooting the rest of the way.

“I’ll be ready for Game 3. I’ll figure it out how to do better,” said the Fil-Am gunner when asked about his readiness for Friday’s all-important game 3.

Game Friday:

(Mall of Asia Arena)
5:45 p.m. — San Miguel Beer vs.TNT

Results:

Game 1 — TNT 86, San Miguel 84.
Game 2 — San Miguel 109, TNT 100,