Bulls try to stay on track vs Realtors

Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao is hoping to win one more game before the All-Star Week break to build up momentum for the resumption of the Gran Matador Brandy PBA Philippine Cup classification round next week.

The Bulls, the Fiesta Cup champions who are struggling in this All-Filipino tourney, try to get that win against the Sta. Lucia Realtors in their 4:40 p.m. tiff today at the Araneta Coliseum.

Purefoods and Barangay Ginebra clash in the other game at 7:35 p.m., marking the last play date of the tourney before the staging of the All-Star festivities in Cagayan de Oro.

Meanwhile, Dennis Rodman and the members of the Bad Boy Tour will drop by the Big Dome to grace today’s double-header.

Over in Mindanao, a PBA fair at the Misamis Oriental capitol grounds opened yesterday, kicking off the All-Star extravaganza to be highlighted by the All-Star Game on Saturday at the Xavier University gym.

The Bulls have checked their skid with an 83-68 victory over the Barangay Ginebra Kings at the Araneta Coliseum Friday but coach Guiao said they have yet to get over the humps.

"One win doesn’t solve our problem. We’ve been really struggling even in practice," said Guiao whose chargers are at sixth place with a 4-6 win-loss card

"Hopefully, we get another win before the All-Star break so we can resume our campaign with on a positive frame of mind," Guiao added.

Sta. Lucia, however, could be a dangerous rival with main men Dennis Espino and Kenneth Duremdes back in harness.

The Realtors are struggling in the chart with a 2-7 record, taking severe beatings with an injury-plagued lineup.

Red Bull whipped Sta. Lucia, 104-90, in their first meeting in the classification round last March 22.

The Purefoods-Ginebra tiff is equally interesting with the Giants looking to remain within striking distance of the front-runner San Miguel Beermen and the Kings hoping to stay afloat in the middle of the pack.

The Giants are on a two-game streak and, at 7-3, are just a game and a half behind the Beermen (9-2). The Kings are in the middle of the standings with a 4-5 slate, having lost their last two games.