BY NOLI CORTEZ

COCA-Cola coach Binky Favis knows what it’s like to have a monkey on one’s back.

The same can’t be said of Air2 coach Bo Perasol whose team is languishing in the cellar with three straight defeats. Perasol is now the one feeling the pinch, and is hard-pressed to get his winless team on track in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup.

"More than anything else, we need to find within ourselves the will to win again," Perasol said yesterday on what it would take for the Express to finally crash the win-column after three futile tries.

"We need to desire it and not just wish for it," he added on the eve of his team’s match with the Tigers today at the Araneta Coliseum.

Coke scored a breakthrough 103-102 squeaker over Purefoods, but only after two overtimes and some very anxious moments last Wednesday.

"We needed this win to get the pressure off us," related Favis. "We talked about it, how we wanted this game. It (talk) was the same as in our first two (games)."

The victory kept Coke’s record, of not having started a conference or season with a 0-3 win-loss slate, intact. Favis stated it was a perfect example of how with hard work good things usually could come.

Perasol couldn’t agree more, knowing 0-4 hole would be too deep few teams have managed to overcome. And the Express’ task becomes even more daunting with the knowledge the Tigers are on a high, that’s why his emphasis on the mind-set of his players.

"Coke is a big stumbling block in gaining our first win," noted Perasol. "We have to find a way to get over this hump."

In the other match, San Miguel Beer tries to rack up its third win in a row when it takes on a Talk N Text crew raring to bounce back on track.

The Beermen held off erstwhile unbeaten Rain or Shine 89-82 also last Wednesday after executing a game plan that concentrated on Rain or Shine rookies Gabe Norwood and Solomon Mercado, who were limited to a combined 14 points.

Since that victory was fashioned over the same Elasto Painters squad that stunned his Tropang Texters 96-90 last Friday, TNT coach Chot Reyes believes they have a big fight on their hands.

"We’re playing the biggest, deepest and most talented team in the PBA," he stated. "All we want is to compete with them."