First ever double sudden death up

The race to the PBL finals comes down to a pair of sudden deaths today with Ana Water and Red Bull hoping to complete a couple of reversals over Blu and Welcoat, respectively, for crack at the Second Yakult-PBL Challenge crown.

The Water Dispensers and the Energy Kings dropped the opener of their respective best-of-three series with the Detergents and the Paintmasters, but came through with emphatic victories Saturday to force the league's first-ever pair of sudden deaths for the final berths.

"It's difficult to predict which team will win, but if we can come up with the same intensity in defense that we showed in Game Two, I think we've got a chance. Our offense is okay and if we can only complement this with a good defense, I don't see any problem," said Red Bull coach Gil Lumberio.

The Energy Kings battle the Paintmasters at 6 p.m., all fired-up to duplicate their 60-49 rout two days ago in a bid to keep their title bid going in their farewell stint in the league.

Like Red Bull, which will join the PBA this season, Ana Water is confident of a repeat of its 89-72 conquest of Blu last Saturday with coach Jimmy Mariano vowing to steer the team to title victory before he joins the Surigao Miners in the MBA.

"I just hope our outside shooting will click again," said Mariano, whose team's bid is anchored on the sweet-shooting Paolo Mendoza, the PBA's top rookie pick who also wants to leave the ranks a winner.

The Water Dispensers and the Detergents clash at 4 p.m.