FOR Harbour Centre and Hapee Toothpaste, the real war begins today as the two heavily favored teams try to seal another dream title series when they begin their semifinal series against separate rivals in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at the Tarlac State University gym in Tarlac City.

The Batang Pier and Complete Protectors finished 1-2 at the end of the double-round elims, thus gaining outright semis berths – a privilege that gave players enough time to soothe their aching bodies and plot their strategies against the teams that went through another round to finally make it to the Final Four.

Though both Harbour and Hapee enjoyed a week-long break, the series remains to be a close call since their rivals – San Mig Coffee and Burger King – are also determined to end the season with a bang.

Already a proud owner of a record four straight championships, the Mikee Romero-owned Harbour Centre collides against San Mig Cofee in a game expected to be highlighted by the showdown between back-to-back MVP Jason Castro of Harbour and San Mig Coffee main man Bonbon Custodio.

The Complete Protectors, who lost to the Batang Pier in the previous tournament, tangle with the Burger King Whoppers.

This will be the first time in the league that the first two games of the series will be played outside Manila. The PBL is in Tarlac, thanks to Philippine Olympic Committee spokesman Joey Romasanta, Tarlac City Mayor Genaro Mendoza and City Sports Development Officer Arnold Rodriguez and will also visit Baguio for Game 2.

Both Hapee and Harbour have beaten their respective rivals twice in the elims and they hope to extend their winning streak in the semis to arrange another title series.

The Coffee Kings clinched the fourth and last semis berth by downing Toyota Otis 68-64 at the Oreta Sports Center in Malabon City two days ago.

Harbour Centre actually holds a 6-1 advantage over San Mig Coffee but coach Jorge Gallent and team manager Erick Arejola is not taking their rivals lightly.

Gallent and Arejola said their charges have to double, if not triple, their efforts against the Coffee Kings, who are aching to end their title drought. This will mark the first time the Coffee Kings will play in the semis since winning a title three years ago.

The Batang Pier dropped two of their last three games but Gallent was quick to dispel the notion that his boys are already burned out.

"The semis series is more important than sweeping the elims. The boys want to prove something, so this is the right time for them," said Gallent. "We have another round of team building so everybody is raring to prove their worth."

Just like Harbour, Hapee also left for Tarlac yesterday, also hoping to reaffirm their mastery over the Allan Gregorio-mentored Burker King.