Tired Sta. Lucia up vs Red Bull

Forty-eight hours after surviving the wildcard round, Sta. Lucia Realty gets back into action today playing a sixth game in 11 days versus Red Bull at the start of the Talk n Text PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the Araneta Coliseum.

Having just overcome the fierce-fighting Air21 Express in a knockout setto, the Realtors run into another tough challenge as they take on a Red Bull side raring to return to battle after a three-week respite.

Injuries to veterans Dennis Espino (sore back), Marlou Aquino (sprained ankle) and Kenneth Duremdes (dislocated finger) further put Sta. Lucia at a disadvantage position versus Red Bull in their best-of-five showdown.

"We’re fresh and excited to play. Sta. Lucia coming off a grueling wildcard is another advantage for us. Quickness and defense will be our main weapons," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao.

Talk n Text and Purefoods are pitted in the other quarterfinals match-up and both are likely to come out strong also coming from a long break.

"We’re looking to control the series early. Purefoods wants that, too, and we have to make them play our tempo," said Talk n Text coach Derrick Pumaren.

"The series will be about height versus speed. Inasmuch as they are taller than us, I believe that we have the edge on speed and quickness. It’s going to be a very challenging series but we are ready to face it," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

Don Allado is out for the rest of the tourney with a dislocation. Talk n Text, however, has an able replacement in Yancy de Ocampo whom the team acquired from Air21 through a trade.

"Match-ups are about even medyo lamang lang kami with Asi (Taulava)’s size. Hopefully, Yancy fills in the shoes left by Don (Allado)," Pumaren said.

"Historically, we have match-up problems against Talk n Text because of their tall frontline. The addition of Yancy makes them all the more formidable," Gregorio said.

Winner in the Talk n Text-Purefoods series advances to the semifinals against top seed Barangay Ginebra while the victor in the Sta. Lucia-Red Bull gets a crack at the finals against second seed San Miguel Beer.

But certainly, all four teams aren’t yet looking beyond the quarterfinals.

"It’s going to be tough. Importante ang focus dito," said Chua, whose Realtors clinched the last quarters slot on a 121-118 overtime win over the Express Friday at the Astrodome.

Sta. Lucia and Red Bull split their two matches in the classification round, and so did Talk n Text and Purefoods, indicating all four teams could have a good shot at the semis.

Red Bull may have finished third in the classification round with an 11-7 card but Talk n Text, Purefoods and Sta. Lucia came in just a game behind all at 10-8.

The Realtors even paced the field early on only to falter at the finish, thus, being relegated into the wildcard round with an inferior quotient.