But the real story did not revolve around the Red Bull victory but the career-threatening or even life-threatening injury to Purefoods forward and Fil-American Eugene Tejada.
With 5:43 left in the game and Red Bull comfortably ahead, 73-54, Tejada fell hard on the floor following a missed shot by driving teammate Roger Yap. He was already in pain when Red Bull’s Mick Pennisi, a burly power forward, fell on him.
Tejada failed to pick himself up, complaining of terrible pain on his back and numbness from the waist down. For over 30 minutes he lay on the floor surrounded by league officials, team officials, fellow players and media men.
As he lay on the floor while being consoled by his girlfriend, actress Jenny Fernandez, Tejada was in tears and in severe pain. But he was able to talk, saying he heard something crack the moment he fell.
Although game officials refused to move him immediately out of the playing court, the absence of an ambulance in the playing venue only made it more difficult for Tejada.. They had to wait for an ambulance to arrive at the Antipolo venue, coming all the way from the Makati Medical Center. The stretcher that was initially brought could not be used because attending physicians said the cushion was too soft it could aggravate the injury.
The crowd and everybody else inside the venue watched in silence as the medical personnel slowly and gingerly carried Tejada into the stretcher. He was immediately brought to the MMC.
Before the game resumed Purefoods players stood in silence offering a prayer for their fallen teammate. Everybody as of press time was hoping and praying that the worst was over for Tejada.
Red Bull firmed up its third position with its eight win in 11 games while Purefoods remained at second with its fourth loss in the 14 games.
In the first game, Alaska Milk fell into a maze of errors in the final quarter but managed to survive Sta. Lucia Realty, 98-91, and recover lost ground.
The Aces led by 20 points a couple of times, the last at 79-59 early in the fourth quarter. But a series of turnovers gave the Realtors the chance to come back and even threaten to steal the win.
Six straight turnovers by Alaska in the closing minutes enabled Sta. Lucia to get to within four points, 91-95, with only 39 seconds remaining. However, it proved to be the closest the Realtors could get.
On its second try, Alaska won with former MVP Willie Miller around.