SAN Mig star Marc Pingris was ejected from the team's game against Meralco on Tuesday for throwing a punch at James Sena, but he insisted the Bolts back-up forward should have been meted a stiff penalty as well.
Pingris lost his cool when he was hit with an elbow to his left rib during the PBA Governors Cup game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and retaliated with a punch, halting play with still 3:15 to go in the second period and the Mixers ahead, 48-37.
After careful review of the sequence, the referee slapped Pingris with a flagrant foul 2, which meant an automatic ejection.
“Wala na sa anggulo 'yung pick niya (Sena) eh. Sana kung dumaan yung import (Marqus Blakely)sa kanya. Eh di naman,” Pingris told Spin.ph while holding on to his left rib, which he injured during the Commissioner’s Cup.
The San Mig bruiser said he felt bad because he took great pains to recover from the rib injury.
“Two weeks ko pinagaling eh, ganito uli,” he said while asking team doctor Raffy Sanchez for ice to ease the pain.
“Sana kung tinawagan ng illegal pick (si Sena). Ang referee naman kasi eh, kahit replay kanina, di man lang siya na technical (foul),” added Pingris, who left the game for good after scoring 10 points and grabbing two rebounds in his 12 minutes on the floor.
Pingris also denied challenging Sena to a fight during the ensuing commotion.
“Di ko naman siya himahamon ng suntukan eh," said the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay. "Sabi ko, maglaro ka lang. Yung mga referees, narinig din naman 'yun eh.”
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