BARROCA AT COACH COMPTON, PINAGMULTA SA MAGULO AT MAPISIKAL NA GAME 4

PINAGBAYAD sina Alaska head coach Alex Compton at Magnolia guard Mark Barroca ng multa dahil sa pagsisimula ng gulo at pisikal na Game 4 ng 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup finals. Nahuli si Barroca na sinapak si Alaska guard Chris BZnchero ‘below the belt’ sa 2 minutes at 40 seconds bago matapos ang laro noong Miyerkules ng gabi. Inanunsiyo kahapon ng PBA na pagbabayarin si Barroca ng P50,000 “for hitting Chris Banchero near his private area.”

Pagkaraan ng laro ay pinatawag ni PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial sina Barroca at Banchero. Pinagmulta rin si Compton, “for issuing statements detrimental to the league.” Hindi nabanggit kung magkano ang multa.

Nagpahayag naman ng paniniwala ang Alaska coach na hindi raw siya dapat pinagmulta. “I think I have a right to defend my players,” ani Compton. “I’m not saying that the referees intentionally missed it. But that’s why we have all these cameras so we can review, so we can do something about it.”

Una nang nakita sa TV replays na tinamaan ni Barroca si Banchero sa singit na sanhi nang pagkahandusay ni Banchero sa sahig. Walang tinawag na foul o technical foul sa naturang insidente ang mga referee.

Galit na nakausap ng media si Alaska coach Alex Compton matapos magwagi ang Aces sa Game 4, 90-76, para itabla ang serye sa 2-2. “First, I’m glad we won. But second, if we are going to get punched multiple times and there aren’t calls or suspensions, I’ve got a problem with that. You all saw it. We have an officiating crew that perhaps didn’t see it. I understand that. They can’t see everything. But Jio (Jalalon) punched us, somebody punched Mike (Harris) in the testicles. Somebody punched Chris (Banchero) in the testicles. At one point is that going to be called, I don’t know. But I’m sure, next game it will. I’m really curious if there will be suspensions,” wika ni Compton.

Kinatuwa din ni Compton na hindi gumanti ang kanyang manlalaro sa mga diumano’y suntok na ibinigay ng mga manlalaro ng Magnolia sa serye. “That’s dirty basketball. Call it anything else will be a lie. I’m not a liar. But I’m proud of my guys. We made a deal that you have to be willing to take a punch for our team and not throwing back. If you care about the team, you take a punch and you don’t throw one back. We have multiple players take punches and not throwing back and I’m proud to be part of that team,” saad ni Compton.

Pinabulaanan naman ni Magnolia coach Chito Victolero na marumi sila maglaro. Ani Victolero, naglalaro lamang sila ng pisikal na naaayon naman sa gusto ng mga referee. “Sabi lang niya ‘yun. That’s physical. Both players naman play hard. I think walang masama doon. Ang ano lang diyan, we need to stay tough. Sabi lang niya ‘yun. Hindi naman siya referee. Coach siya eh. I think it’s beyond our control. The referees will decide where there is a foul, flagrant foul, and what’s not a flagrant foul. The coaches, hindi ‘yan makapag-decide,” saad ni Victolero.

Samantala, sino sa Aces at Hotshots ang unang lalapit sa korona ng Governor’s Cup? Magkakaalaman na naman mamayang 7 p.m. sa mainitan nang paghaharap ng Aces at Hotshots sa pivotal Game 5 ng best-of-seven title playoff sa Araneta Coliseum. Tabla ang serye sa 2-2 at parehong determinado ang dalawang mag­katunggaling coach na manalo at makahakbang sa titulo.

Kinuha ng Magnolia ang unang dalawang laro at bumawi ang Alaska sa Game 3 and 4 para itabla ang serye. Tinalo ng Aces ang Hotshots sa Game 4, 90-76, sa Big Dome.