Magnolia swept out: Red Bull reaches semis

Red Bull has remained the biggest revelation in the current PBA season.

Notwithstanding the trading of no less than three key players during the off-season and all, the Bulls made the Smart Philippine Cup Final Four on a two-game sweep of the Magnolia Beverage Masters in their best-of-three quarterfinals showdown.

Junthy Valenzuela came through with a solid all-around game to anchor Red Bull’s steady drive last night at the Astrodome as it crushed Magnolia, 112-94, completing what’s actually a four-game blanking of the Beverage Masters in the entire tourney.

Red Bull advanced to the semis against old rival Purefoods Tender Juicy.

“Good feeling making the semis with a team that has been depleted. We’re never seriously looked at, at least on paper. But with all that has happened, with or without star players, the team has remained consistent,” said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao.

“Somehow, we have proven it’s not about big name or big salary. It’s about big heart,” Guiao added.

Curiously, the Bulls clinched a semis berth at the expense of a team which raided its ranks, acquiring three key players in Enrico Villanueva, Lordy Tugade and Larry Fonacier.

“We take pride in beating a team looking like our own team. Parang scrimmage ng dati naming team at pinahirapan kami ni Lordy (Tugade),” said Guiao.

Tugade exploded for a game-high 31 points but it was not enough to save Magnolia from the brink.

With the Beverage Masters taking the exit, all top three placers in this tourney last year are gone. Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer (Magnolia) and Talk n Text finished in that order in the 2006-07 All-Filipino.