Unbeaten Bulls, Pals seek No. 3

Red Bull and Talk n Text, two teams living up to their pre-season billing as among the favorites, go for a third straight win as they take on lowly-ranked rivals Coca-Cola and Welcoat, respectively, today in the Talk n Text PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Bulls and the Pals are fancied to sustain their winning ways against the Tigers and the Dragons and catch up with the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the lead with identical 3-0 win-loss records.

Sta. Lucia is the only other team remaining unbeaten in the tourney, booking a second straight victory with a 98-95 drubbing of San Miguel Beer Wednesday.

Coca-Cola is off to a struggling start like San Miguel, Purefoods and Air21, prompting coach Binky Favis to make early replacements in his lineup.

Favis activated rookies Michael Gavino and Chris Pacana for RJ Rizada and Ronjay Enrile. Rizada and Enrile were relegated to the reserve list.

The Tigers dropped their first two matches in the season to the Alaska Milk Aces and the Ginebra Kings.

The Bulls had easy time disposing of the Tigers in their pre-season encounter.

Providing an interesting sidelight to the Red Bull-Coca Cola duel will be the meeting of the Bulls’ Enrico Villanueva and Coke rookie Joseph Yeo on a regular PBA game.

League officials, are likely to keep a keen eye on the two players to prevent any untoward incident as the Bulls and the Tigers slug it out at 7:20 p.m.

It will be recalled that Villanueva gave Yeo a hard nudge, nearly triggering another fight between the two during the pre-season duel of the Bulls and the Tigers at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym.

Villanueva, however, said he has put everything behind him after that pre-season encounter.

"Actually a few minutes after the incident, I approached Coca-Cola team manager Hector Calma and coach Binky Favis. I apologized and promised not to do it anymore," Villanueva told The STAR.