Before the Meralco Bolts outlasted Rain or Shine for their second win, 121-111, in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup, there were some colors developing between Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic, Rain or Shine Coach Yeng Guaio and player Beau Belga.
The verbal altercation occured during 8:10-mark of the fourth quarter of their game, where all three individuals were slapped with technical fouls. Guiao was also seen not shaking the hand of Vucinic during the traditional pleasantries after the game.
Prior to the exchange, Belga blocked the shot of a driving Norbert Torres, but his ROS teammate Andre Caracut was called for a foul.
Upon retrieving the ball, the 38-year-old Belga threw the leather hard on the rolling ad board, drawing a howl of reaction from both the fans at the stands of the Ynares Center in Antipolo and some Meralco players.
That’s when the Rain or Shine big man turned to say something to the Serbian consultant.
In recalling the incident, Belga said he was only telling Vucinic to refrain from influencing the referees that the fouls against him were excessive.
Minutes prior to the verbal exchange, Vucinic was already seen speaking to the referees shortly after a foul by Belga against Anjo Caram on a drive to the basket sometime in the nine-minute mark of the fourth.
But it appeared that the two let bygones be bygones as Belga and Vucinic shook hands after the game.
"Ang sabi ko sa kanya, stop acting like it was na may nangyaring kakaiba, they (referee) might do something. Wala naman eh," said Belga.
"Pero siyempre, I want to win. Gusto rin niya. Pero bigyan mo ng ganun ‘yung mga referee, parang hindi magandang tignan," he added.
This was confirmed by Bolts Coach Luigi Trtillo. "Si Beau ang nauna run. I think coach Nenad just wanted to tell him na hindi siya [ang kausapin] and umalis na siya," said Trillo.
"Akala ni coach Yeng from hearing it, he said (to Nenad) don’t talk to my player," said Trillo.
The usually-outspoken Rain or Shine coach, however, had little to say about the incident, which he said was no longer relevant to the game.
"Wala naman 'yun. Ano lang 'yun, sidelights lang. Hindi naman siya actually nagma-matter doon sa laro," Guiao said.
"I don’t know what happened but he was picking up an argument with Beau. Pinapa-ano ko lang na wag niyang kausapin 'yung mga players [ko]. 'Yung players [nya] ang gusto niyang kausapin," he added.
"Kiskisan lang," said Trillo during the postgame press conference, even describing Vucinic as a someone who would not instigate a fight with someone, let along argue to players and coaches.
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