Coaches expect all-out war in first title clash

Purefoods and Red Bull have had no previous title confrontation in the past but they’re expected to figure in a total war as they dispute the San Mig Coffee PBA Fiesta Cup crown in a best-of-seven playoff beginning tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum.

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao said surviving Barangay Ginebra and its hostile crowd in a sudden death match Sunday could well be a good takeoff point for his team going into the finals.

Purefoods counterpart Ryan Gregorio, meanwhile, said they’ve long been dreaming of winning a championship again and they welcome the opportunity now that they’re back in the title playoff.

With hardly a rest after the Final Four, Guiao and Gregorio agreed they could only assess their respective team’s bid after the series-opener set at 7:30 p.m. at the Big Dome.

"It’s hard to make an assessment yet. But playoff is always a defensive battle. The team which plays tougher defense will have the better chance of winning. That’s one of our main weapons and I don’t think Purefoods has different priority," said Guiao.

"We swept them in two games in the elims but they’re a different team now with James Penny as import.

"We’re not thinking about history. We look at the game at hand. But maybe I can make a better assessment of things after Game One," said Gregorio.

Nevertheless, the opposing coaches, who are both former UP Maroons in college ball, gave their respective teams good chances to win the coveted championship.

"I guess our game against Ginebra Sunday is really a good takeoff point for us in this finals. We’ll capitalize on that. If we can beat Ginebra in a condition like we’re virtually playing in another planet, then we can beat any team if we’ll work for it," said Guiao.

"After what my team did in that situation, I admire and respect them even more on what they can do," added Guiao.

The Bulls sealed a finals showdown with the Giants after overcoming the Kings and their boisterous huge fans, 83-79, in rubber match Sunday.

After the match, there were reports of Red Bull supporters being harassed by the Ginebra fans. Lordy Tugade wasn’t spared as he later found his Honda Civic vandalized at the Big Dome parking area.

Looking at the stats, Guiao may have a lot to ponder about. In the Bulls‚ two meetings with the Giants this conference, the Photokina Marketing franchise was both beaten, including an 84-77 defeat in the season-opening game.

Both losses, however, were absorbed by the Bulls with Quemont Greer still their import.