THE PBA Philippine Cup championship series between TNT and Magnolia just took on another heated subplot.
Immediately after the Hotshots’ 106-98 win in Game 3 last Sunday, Tropang Giga center Poy Erram, on Instagram, accused an unnamed opponent of intentionally trying to hurt others and even spitting on a teammate.
“Basketball is a physical game and everybody knows that. But if you do something beyond that: it’s down right (sic) disrespectful and it reflects on who you are as a person. Taunting and trash talk, that’s part of the game,” Erram wrote through his chasing 89 IG handle.
“If you get hit, prepare yourself and just play cause (sic) IT’S PART OF IT,” added Erram.
“But hurting someone on purpose and spitting on their faces and end up enjoying it???? You have no right to be in this league or anywhere else.”
Contacted yesterday, Commissioner Willie Marcial withheld comment before a panel led by Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro has done an investigation into Erram’s accusation.
“May review naman iyan, automatic after each game,” Marcial said. “Kapag may nakita, pag-uusapan ng technical committee kung ano penalty and then recommend sa akin.”
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero refused to comment on the alleged spitting incident, saying:
“Wala akong comment doon, kasi nga hindi ko alam nangyari. Hindi ko alam kung totoo sinasabi niya, baka mamaya nag-uusap sila then tinamaan siya ng laway nu’ng kung sinuman sa mga nag-uusap na iyon.”
What irked Victolero most was the allegation that the Hotshots are playing dirty. “I personally find this very unfair,” he stated.
“In the history ng team namin, we’ve never had an incident na parang we intentionally hurt somebody,” added Victolero. “Yes, I just tell them to play hard, double our efforts. Of course, we’re down 0-2. Pero kung mangyari man iyon, na mayroong accidentally nasaktan, hindi namin iyon sinasadya.
“We play physical, we play hard, but we don’t play dirty. Malaking kaibahan iyon,” he said.
Magnolia playing good enough to score the breakthrough win in the best-of-seven series and cut its deficit to 1-2 should be taken in that context alone without throwing in the dirty tactics allegation, Victolero maintained.
“Give credit where credit is due,” insisted Victolero. “In our first two games, we accepted our defeat, we take it as a man. Sinabi ko pa nga, they played great, especially in Game 2.
Hindi kami gumagawa ng excuses, hindi namin sinisisi iba kaya natalo kami.”
There were indeed some very physical moments in Game 3, the most notable of which saw TNT forward Troy Rosario falling hard and dislocating his left little finger in the process.
Rosario went up hard to finish a fastbreak layup, but lost his balance and fell hard due to the contact created by the fast-charging Jackson Corpuz. After a review, Corpuz was meted an F1 while Rosario was subbed out before being taken to a nearby hospital for examination and treatment.
“If you watched the game, humahabol si Jackson, full speed,” was how Victolero put it.
“Tuloy, nadala ng momentum. Umiwas si Jack, pero huli na kasi nga full sprint iyon.”
For the one-time Coach of the Year there were other incidents in Game 3 that merit scrutiny but ones he just ordered his players to grin and bear.
“If you watched the game, madaming beses na bumagsak din players ko. If we feel na intentionally ginawa iyon, it would have been easy for us to use that as an excuse. Pero hindi kasi for us that’s part of the game,” said Victolero.
