Red Bull, armed with a pair of battle-tested imports, defeated San Miguel Beer, 72-68, last Friday while Talk N Text, squeezing the best from its underrated locals, tripped Alaska Milk, 82-78.
The victories gave the Thunder and the Phone Pals a big headstart in their respective best-of-five playoffs. Another win by both squads will provide a clearer picture as to which teams will advance to the best-of-seven finals.
"We were just lucky that we got them (Beermen) into foul trouble early," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, referring to SMB import Terq Mott and hulking Fil-Am Dorian Peña who both picked up three fouls in the first half.
"But to us, this was one of our worst games. We really played bad," added Guiao who was drawn into a verbal tussle against Art dela Cruz, a member of the SMB coaching staff, during a dead-ball situation.
"Everytime we play San Miguel it almost always turns out to be emotional and tension-filled. So, expect war on Sunday," added the Red Bull coach, who won his first PBA crown under the RFM franchise in the early ‘90s.
Talk N Text coach Bill Bayno, on the other hand, pointed his locals as the key to victory in the series opener against a team coached by fellow American Tim Cone.
Bayno, whose entry in the PBA was strongly opposed by the group of local coaches, said he expects the multi-titled Cone to take a different approach in the Milkmen’s bid to even the short series.
"I only hope that we’ll be ready for that," added Bayno, trying to give Talk N Text (which won the 1998 Centennial Cup under the banner of Mobiline) its first conference title in the PBA.