Burger King, Barako Bulls tangle in a 'weird' game for Guiao

MANILA, Philippines - Yeng Guaio is not one to easily forget. Eight years of coaching Red Bull has brought him countless of memories, recollections that definitely can’t just be put aside. So it came as no surprise that he finds it "weird" going up against his former team Wednesday in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. “Parang it’s weird," said Guiao as he tries to imagine the sight of himself being on the other end of the bench against Barako Bull. “It’s unusual na nasa kabilang side ako. It’s like an out of body experience." Guiao’s Burger King takes on the Barako Bull for the first time this conference in a 5 p.m. encounter where the Titans (2-2) hope to arrest a two-game losing run. The national team coach spent nearly nine years of his coaching career with Barako Bull. He led them to three titles, but had to cut that partnership before the start of the season-ending tournament. The Pampanga vice-governor said Barako Bull no longer had the direction he wants and discretely quit after the ball club traded Cyrus Baguio and Celino Cruz to Burger King. “It’s just a feeling na players ko ito dati tapos kalaban ko na ngayon," said Guiao. “Hindi naman bitter, may emotion but I don’t think it’s negative." But more than the emotional side of the contest, Guiao and the Titans would like, more than anything else, to beat the Energy Boosters and put an end to their back-to-back setbacks and rebound from a painful loss to Talk ‘N Text the last time they saw action. Burger King was winning against the Tropang Texters, leading by as many as 22 points (81-59) before the reigning Philippine Cup champions made a ferocious run. The Energy Boosters are also coming off a loss. They went down to Sta. Lucia Realty, 100-91. Barako Bull’s lone win in four games came against Alaska 92-90 last March 8. Meanwhile, Rain or Shine (2-1) seeks its third win at the expense of the slumping Barangay Ginebra (1-2) in the 7:30 p.m. main game. Getting a big boost from new import Jai Lewis, the Elasto Painters downed the Alaska Aces, 96-94, a week ago. The defending Fiesta Cup champion Kings on the other hand, had lost two in a row after winning their first assignment in the import-laden meet. -GMANews.TV