The Barakos came out brimming with confidence, taking the Tigers lightly and nearly paid the price as they had gut it out in the closing seconds to escape with the win.
A free throw by Quemont Greer with 1.3 seconds left in the clock broke a 77-all standoff and eventually gave the Barakos a closing 9-7 win-loss card in the double-round classification phase of the Xtreme Magic Sing-backed tourney.
That record guaranteed Red Bull a playoff for the second outright semis seat either against Air21, Barangay Ginebra or Talk n Text.
"We’ll put this game behind us. The important thing was to win this game and we won it," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, far from satisfied with what his boys shown in the game.
"But it’s really tough to play a team playing without an import. They don’t have any pressure at all. I call it a mental trap. Your boys, on the other hand, would be complacent whatever you tell them," said Guiao in explaining their flat performance.
The Tigers, though playing sans suspended import Omar Thomas, put up a stiff challenge but failed to complete an upset, and wound up the tail-ender with a 6-10 record.
They figure in the survivor playoff either against San Miguel Beer or Alaska Milk, needing to win two straight games to advance to the wildcard plays.
Talk n Text stayed in the hunt for a playoff shot at an outright entry into the semifinals when the Pals drubbed the San Miguel Beermen, 94-73, later in the night.
The Pals now hope for an Alaska Milk win over Barangay Ginebra in their Christmas Day duel for them to gain the right to challenge the Barakos for the second automatic semis seat.
Should Ginebra win, the Kings dispute the second semis slot with the Barakos.