No reason to panic, says Hapee coach

Hapee Toothpaste coach Junel Baculi isn’t so happy where his team is standing right now going into the crucial stage of the elimination in the 2004 PBL Unity Cup.

Baculi, however, is not yet about to push the panic button this early although he admits that they have to beat Lee Pipes-Ateneo again today at the Pasig Sports Center to boost their bid for an automatic berth in the semis.

"We’re still struggling but it’s understandable since my players are still adjusting to my style of coaching," said Baculi. "But I’m hoping we can play better next time. I have high respect with regards to the talent of my players."

Hapee and Lee Pipes-Ateneo square off at 2 p.m. with the Teeth Sparklers eyeing a similar easy win just like the first time they met where the defending champions romped to a 79-71 victory.

The Teeth Sparklers, who are seeking their third straight title after also ruling the Platinum Cup two months back, are currently tied with NCAA champion Toyota Otis-Letran at 3-2 while the Eagles are still winless after five games.

Clashing in the other game at 4 p.m. are Sunkist-UST and Montana Pawnshop.

with the Jewels seeking a follow up to their masterful 93-68 conquest of erstwhile unbeaten Welcoat Paints last Saturday.

Despite that shocking defeat, the Paint Masters are still tied for the lead with Viva Mineral Water-FEU at 5-1. The Jewels tote a 2-4 record while the Tigers are out to snap a three-game losing run after winning their first three games.

The Tigers prevailed over the Jewels, 76-68, three weeks ago but beating the Montana squad for the second straight time won’t be easy for sure.

For one, the team is enjoying new-found confidence as shown during their win over the Paint Masters where they surprised their rivals with their aggressive rebounding, solid defense and smooth transition plays.

Sunkist-UST coach Neil Parado is wary about the off-and-on performance of top guns Alex Compton and Jemal Vizcarra but his chief of his concern now is how to stop Montana’s hulking forward Jondan Salvador.

Salvador did a splendid job the last time out as he posted his fifth straight double-double performance with 20 points and 12 rebounds. His brilliance also rubbed off on his teammates as four other Jewels also scored in double figures.

To score their breakthrough win, the Eagles must play with lots of passion and fire to avoid the misfortunes that befell them in their last three games. The Eagles were leading early in those games but lost steam in the end.