ANTIPOLO – Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao played down the verbal exchange with Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic during the fourth quarter of their game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Guiao, Vucinic, and Rain or Shine player Beau Belga were slapped with technical fouls for their verbal exchange during the 8:10-mark of the fourth quarter after Vucinic and Belga got into a prior argument.
Guiao was also seen not shaking the hand of Vucinic during the traditional pleasantries after the game.
READ: Nenad verbal tussle with Belga, Guiao played down
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. ‘Yung players ang gusto niyang kausapin,” he added.
“But I don’t think it’s anything na importante. I don’t think its relevant siya na dapat pa ‘yan pag-usapan ng matagal."
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Belga also played down the incident when approached by reporters to ask for his side.
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.
Vucinic was no longer at the venue to ask for his side of the incident, but Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo also played down the incident involving the team’s active consultant.
“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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