The hosts are bent on sweeping the best-of-two series in the 6 p.m. contest, knowing how tough and dangerous the Insurers of Bacoor Vice Mayor Edwin Malvar and strong supporter Gov. Ireneo "Ayong" Maliksi could get should they extend the finals to the limit.

"The pressure is there and it’s up to my players to respond," said Ozamiz coach Albert Calvo. "We should be extra cautious since Cavite is the only team which managed to beat us in our homecourt."

Ozamiz drew first blood in the match between the Southern and Northern Conference champions by taking game one, 65-63, at the Washington gym in Makati City.

But Ozamiz could be considered lucky to win that one. The Insurers led throughout the fourth period and appeared set to win until Ozamiz’s Bob Cozy Ilanga, son of former Crispa spitfire Willie Tanduyan, scored the difference in the last five seconds.

"My players didn’t follow my instructions during may last four timeouts," Cavite coach Segundo "Bong" dela Cruz lamented. "But I’m confident that we can come back. We’ll defy the odds."

Ozamiz’s Christian Nicdao and Cavite’s Marvin Ortiguerra, the two candidates for the MVP award, are expected to play key roles in the game supported by Panasonic, Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Sunbolt Sports Drink, Accel, Molten, Nature’’ Spring, Far Eastern Insurance, Skygo, Sirlitz, Hapee, Dewfoam, KSK Food Products, Prime Channel, Bayview Park Hotel and Holiday Plaza-Cebu.

Other players to watch are Ozamiz’s Billy Bansil, Rulof Liangco and Melfred Sampilo and Cavite’s Jay-Ar Estrada, Christian Coronel, Arnold Booker and Melvin Mamaclay, who is still recuperating from a knee injury.