Bulls wary of way of Dragons

Red Bull faces a surging Welcoat team while Coca-Cola goes up against a skidding Alaska Milk side as the Bulls and the Tigers seek to keep the pace nearing the halfway mark of the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference elimination round at the Araneta Coliseum today.

The Bulls and the Dragons clash at 4:50 p.m. then the Tigers and the Aces mix it up at 7:20 p.m.

It’s a pair of duels featuring two teams on top and two squads at the bottom half of the chart.

But the Dragons, third to last in the 10-team field with a 3-5 mark, are upbeat on their chances against the Bulls, having won three of their last four games.

“It should have been five straight wins already,” said Welcoat coach Caloy Garcia, ruing their close setbacks to Alaska Milk and Sta. Lucia Realty.

The Dragons won their last game against the Talk n Text Phone Pals and this, Garcia said, proved that they can challenge even the best of the lot in the league.

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao himself isn’t taking Welcoat lightly, saying he has noticed the vast improvement of the Dragons.

What could well be Welcoat’s biggest challenge is the Bulls’ 7-foot-1 import Adam Parada. Marquis Gainous will give away at least three inches in height and he may need all the help from Jay-R Reyes to neutralize Parada.

The lack of heft and height itself is proving Alaska’s No. 1 problem in its poor start in the tourney. But despite only two wins against six defeats, the team management has been saying they’re sticking it out with Randy Holcomb.

Against the Tigers, the Aces will have to deal with the pair of Jason Dixon and Gee Gervin who have been complementing each other well.

The Bulls and the Tigers lead the pack with identical 6-2 win-loss cards. Red Bull has won four of its last five games while Coca-Cola triumphed in three of its last four outings.

Alaska, the reigning champion in this import-laced tourney, has gone winless in its last four matches.