CHOT Reyes touched a bit on his verbal sparring with Poy Erram on the TNT bench during a third-quarter huddle that appeared to turn the tide in favor of Barangay Ginebra in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
The outspoken mentor said he just gave the veteran big man a piece of his mind during the timeout he called after the Kings went on a 6-0 run capped by a breakaway two-handed slam dunk by Japeth Aquilar to cut a 10-point deficit down to 47-43.
READ Ginebra outduels TNT in Game 5 dogfight, moves a win from PBA title
The two were seen having a heated exchange in the middle of the huddle before Erram threw away the towel he was holding in disgust, and obviously peeved, an irate Reyes reacted animatedly and stepped away from the huddle
“Sabi ko kung hindi ko siya mapag-sabihan, e di siya ang mag-coach na lang,” said the former Gilas Pilipinas coach while walking out of the Smart Araneta Coliseum shortly after the loss, 73-66.
Rey Nambatac tried to prevent Erram from leaving the huddle, before Kelly Williams talked him out of it and calmed him down as the 35-year-old big man retreated to the far end of the TNT bench.
“They kind of like took care of itself. They knew the importance of the game. At the end of the day, we’re all competitive, we all want to win. I think they realize that,” said import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson about the incident.
As Reyes went back and did his business on the drawing board, Erram was recalled to the huddle and joined the team. But he was replaced by Williams when played resumed with 7:28 to go in the quarter.
Ginebra seemed to have gotten its momentum after that, eventually taking its first taste of the lead, 53-51, on a Scottie Thompson jumper.
In all, the Kings outscored the Tropang Giga, 22-11, during that third quarter stretch.
Erram was sent back with 9:59 to go in the final period, and Ginebra leading, 60-59. He was substituted by Williams with 3:38 left in the game and the Kings still on top, 67-66, never to relinquish the lead again as the Tropang Giga went scoreless in the final four minutes.
The controversial big man finished with four points, six rebounds, a steal and a block shot in TNT's second straight loss to go down in the best-of-seven series, 3-2.
He went out of the TNT dugout with his head draped in a towel and didn’t grant a post-game interview.
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