RARE are the instances when cage great Alvin Patrimonio loses his cool. And it took a few gestures and a little trash talking from fellow retired player Peter Aguilar for him to do so.
Patrimonio and Aguilar exchanged heated words during and after the PBA Governors Cup game between Barangay Ginebra and Star that typified the emotions during the showdown between the league’s biggest rivals.
The 49-year-old Patrimonio, currently team manager of the Hotshots, said he felt slighted when he saw Aguilar shouting and signaling him to go back to the Star bench after complaining about a physical play committed by Jervy Cruz early in the fourth period of the match won by the Kings, 116-103.
The four-time league MVP said Aguilar has no business telling him what to do since it was his job to protect the welfare of Star players.
More so, he said the play didn’t even involve the son of the former Ginebra player, Japeth Aguilar.
“Parang nakakalalaki siya kasi,” related Patrimonio later about the incident to SPIN.ph. “Kaya parang nagpanting talaga ako.”
[See Ginebra goes on vintage comeback, deepens woes of Star]
But Aguilar said psyche war is part of a basketball game especially one as big as a Ginebra-Star duel.
“Parang hindi siya experienced na player. Ilang MVP ba ang napanalunan niyan, di ba four-time MVP yan,” he said. “Kaya dapat alam niya na ang basketball inisan.”
The animosity stretched after the game when the two crossed paths in the hallway of the Big Dome.
“Pare, huwag ka masyadong siga,” said Patrimonio dead-panned for everyone to hear as Aguilar passed by.
“Ano pa bang sinasabi nun?” Aguilar told mediamen. “Di ba beterano siya, experienced na player? O, dapat alam niya ang basketball.”
Japeth Aguilar, who had 21 points and six rebounds in Ginebra’s sixth win in eight outings for a tied with Mahindra at second place, later sought out Patrimonio and tried to calm down the basketball icon, who rarely lost his composure in a game even during his playing days.
[See PJ Simon lets out frustration, but refuses to give up on Star]
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