Will it be the championship experience of Barangay Ginebra or the hunger of Air21 which will make the big difference?

This will be answered tonight when the Gin Kings and the Express collide in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals at 7 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra forced the do-or-die game last Sunday when the Gin Kings hammered a come-from-behind 80-75 victory to tie the best-of-seven series at three games a piece.

The Kings Games 1 (105-96) and 4 (90-77).

On the other hand, Air21, in the finals for the first time since joining the pro league in 2002, took Games 2 (124-90), 3 (97-87) and 5 (76-73).

Needing just one win, the Express failed to capitalize when they blew a 16-point lead and allowed their opponent to rally back in the second half of Game 6.

The way Game 6 was played – where Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 were called on Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa and Air21’s Niño Canaleta and technical fouls were assessed on the Kings’ Junthy Valenzuela and the Express’ Gary David – this sudden-death game is expected to be war.

“Definitely, it’s going to be a battle,” said Barangay Ginebra mentor Jong Uichico, who is eyeing his eighth coaching title – second with the Kings. “Both teams will very much play their hearts out to win.”

Caguioa was fined P5,000 by PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios for the F1 he committed on Air21’s Arwind Santos while Valenzuela was penalized P1,000 for second motion on Air21 forward Ranidel de Ocampo that drew him a technical foul.

Valenzuela was actually ejected late in the game when picked up his second on another second motion against David, although Barrios found sufficient ground to waive the second offense.

The fines on the infractions of Canaleta (F1) and David (technical/second motion) were also waived by Barrios.

This seventh game is actually a first for Ginebra in 17 years, or since the then Robert Jaworski-mentored squad came back from a 1-3 deficit to beat Shell during the 1991 Reinforced Conference Finals.

The Kings are aiming title No. 8.

“If we believe that we can get it done, and I guess they (players) believe, we can still get it done,” Uichico said.

Air21 mentor Bo Perasol, hoping to give the Bert Lina-owned franchise its first-ever title, confessed that they were again outplayed in Game 6.

“There are a lot of things that we know exactly how to improve on,” Perasol said. “For example, the extra passes, the looks on the open man. Sometimes sila na rin ang nagsasabi na hindi nila makita, hindi nila marinig dahil sa ingay ng crowd.”

Well, he hopes to correct things this time even with – again – a predominantly Ginebra crowd of over 18,000 at the venue.

“Medyo malungkot sila nung una but I have to lift up their spirit and forget (what happened in Game 6),” he added.

Ginebra’s 7-foot reinforcement Chris Alexander, the Best Import of the conference who had a PBA career-best 37 points and with 24 rebounds, is expected to lead anew the Kings.

Backing him are guards Caguioa, Paul Artadi and Chris Pacana, forwards Valenzuela, Ronald Tubid and Sunday Salvacion, as well as big men Eric Menk, Rafi Reavis, Billy Mamaril and Alex Crisano.

Air21, on the other hand, will rely on import Steven Thomas, who fouled out in Game 6 with five minutes left to play.

Support will come from local mainstays like guards David, Wynne Arboleda, Egay Billones and Marvin Cruz, wingmen Santos and Canaleta, and frontliners like Homer Se, Earvin Sotto and De Ocampo.