INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines -- Call Yeng Guaio a masochist but you cannot stop him from believing that Red Bull?s greatest chance of survival is to play in a live-or-die situation.

The fiery Red Bull mentor declared an odd preference of playing an all-or-nothing Game 7 against Purefoods in the Smart-PBA Philippine Cup, a scenario any coach deadlocked at 2-2 in a race-to-four affair would not hope for.

?We will be more than happy if we could take it to seven games,? said Guiao prior to their Game 5 semifinal duel with coach Ryan Gregorio and the TJ Giants Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

With the series tied and reduced to a best-of-three affair following Red Bull?s 97-88 overtime win in Game 4, Guiao believes the winner in Wednesday?s 7:20 p.m. encounter will take control of the series.

?You can make the adjustments that you want (in Game 5). You can experiment and rotate some people,? he said. ?You can even make mistakes and take risks because there?s a Game 7 waiting for you.?

Guiao offered that the longer the series progresses, it will put more pressure on the Giants and their two main offensive weapons -- James Yap and Kerby Raymundo.

Pulled out in the first quarter of their game against the Bulls, James Yap has used the one-day respite to recover from the contusion he suffered on his left knee. Purefoods team physician Raffy Sanchez has assured that the 2006 MVP will spring back to action on Wednesday.

In contrast, Alaska doesn?t want to entertain the idea of a Game 7 and will be glad to finish off Sta. Lucia Realty as soon as practical in the other semifinal series.

?There?s a lot of animosity between both teams and this is what the series is all about,? said Cone after his Aces tied the series after four games with a 93-80 win over the Realtors Sunday night.

Sta. Lucia Realty governor Buddy Encarnado formally complained to commissioner Sonny Barrios Monday afternoon about the poor officiating that, according to him, cost the Realtors the game. Encarnado said Barrios admitted the fault of the referees who worked the game.

?I raised the instances when the referees made a series of bad calls. They (PBA officials) admitted their mistake,? Encarnado told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net. ?Somebody has to step in and take control. If they cannot correct (the officiating), it could destroy the beauty of the series.?

Encarnado blew his top after the referee failed to call an offensive foul on Alaska?s Willie Miller who rammed Sta. Lucia?s Dennis Miranda late in the fourth quarter.