This will make Ds very angry....and other teams doesnt want DS to be very angry...definetely this will fire him up.

The Fiesta Cup champion Kings, together with theElasto Painters and the Realtors earned outright berths in the quartersfor finishing at the top five after the elimination phase of thetournament.

The Bermen, on the other hand, went through twodo-or-die games in the knockout wildcard phase – dispatching theCoca-Cola Tigers (99-89) and the Air21 Express (105-86) last Sunday –to claim the last quarters slot.

For Guiao, who recently resigned as Red Bull coach,said the PBA quarters will be about Rain or Shine’s ‘youth’ versus Sta.Lucia’s ‘experience.’

"I think it’s even," Guiao, who kept his position asmentor of the all-pro National Team that will compete in the FIBA-AsiaChampionship this August in China, said.

"Rain or Shine’s weapon is their youth, speed andathleticism because of their young players, but Sta. Lucia can counterit with their experience and stability because of their veteranplayers," he added.

The Elasto Painters are in the playoffs for thefirst time in franchise history or since joining the PBA in 2006primarily because of their two superb rookies wingman Gabe Norwood andguard Sol Mercado.

Norwood, Mercado, as well as the additions onfreshman TY Tang and veteran forward Eddie Laure complemented coachCaloy Garcia’s mainstays Jay-R Reyes, Rob Wainwright, Don Dulay, JirehIbanez and Ryan Arana.

"If they can dictate the tempo with their runninggame, they have a chance to beat the Realtors in this series," Guiaosaid. "When it comes to up tempo style of play, Sta. Lucia has aproblem."

Guiao, however, didn’t discount the possibility of SLR controlling this short series.

Key for SLR is for veterans like Dennis Espino andMarlou Aquino to play solid games with reigning Most Valuable Player(MVP) Kelly Williams, who is only in his third year in the league andlast season’s Rookie of the Year Ryan Reyes.

Others expected to step up for the Realtors are Joseph Yeo, Paolo Mendoza, Bitoy Omolon, Denok Miranda and Norman Gonzales.

As for the battle between San Miguel Corp. (SMC)sister teams Ginebra and SMB, it is predictable, according to Guiao,because of the fact that the Kings will come into the series stillmissing key players Mark Caguioa and Rafi Reavis.

Without Caguioa (knee) and Reavis (shoulder), coachJong Uichico will have to rely more on Jayjay Hekterbrand, Fiesta Cupco-Finals MVP Ronald Tubid and Eric Menk, as well as Junthy Valenzuela,Sunday Salvacion and Paul Artadi.

"Malaking bagay kung may kulang sa team mo lalo kungkey players ang wala. May slight advantage na agad yung kalaban," Guiaosaid.

The twin victories SMB had in the wildcard againstCoke and Air21 also would give coach Siot Tanquingcen’s wards theneeded momentum, Guiao said.

"It’s good for a team to enter a series coming of two impressive victories," Guiao said.

http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20090106144971.html