BY NOLI CORTEZ

RED Bull knows it cannot take away Sta. Lucia Realty’s Philippine Cup championship, so the Bulls stripped the Realtors of the latter’s other self-imposed title.

Using its own defensive tenacity, Red Bull walloped Sta. Lucia 105-78 in a fight-marred game last night and assumed the solo lead anew in the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We treated those things as a challenge to us as a team," said Bulls coach Yeng Guiao, who was wondering aloud what could have happened if his team, not Purefoods, had faced the Realtors in the season-opening RP Cup finals.

"Tapos na ‘yung issue kung kami ang nagkaharap sa championship kaya ‘yung sa pagiging better defensive team na lang kami nag-focus," he added.

Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez had often maintained his team prides itself on defense, but for at least last night Red Bull was better in that department after holding the Realtors to just 10-of-48 (20.8 percent) field shooting in the first half and 31-of-93 (33.3 percent) for the entire game.

As a result, the Bulls took as much as an 89-59 lead and cruised to the win, a big rebound from a 95-102 loss to Magnolia last Saturday and their sixth win in eight games.

The loss was the Realtors’ third in seven games, relegating them into a tie for fifth with the idle Beverage Masters.

A fracas involving Red Bull import Adam Parada and SLR counterpart Wesley Wilson disrupted play and caused the two to be ejected.

The Bulls were unassailably ahead 89-65 with 3:45 left when Wilson gave a hard foul on a streaking Jojo Duncil. Parada, who was trailing the play, saw what happened and shoved Wilson, who responded with a stiff arm to Parada’s face.

The two then adopted a fighting pose and were promptly thrown out by game officials.

Commissioner Sonny Barrios said they will review the game tape and conduct separate interviews with Parada and Wilson today before coming up with whatever sanctions.