CHRIS Newsome doesn’t see Meralco imploding in the aftermath of the verbal altercation that took place between assistant coach Jimmy Alapag and Kelly Nabong in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the PBA Governors Cup between the Bolts and the Star Hotshots.
The sophomore Fil-Am guard said the incident was nothing but a spur of the moment thing between two highly-competitive individuals who both wanted to win.
“It was a heat of the moment (thing). Everyone was emotional at the time,” said Newsome a day after Meralco completed a comeback from 17 points down to pull the rug from under Star, 72-66, at the Alonte Sports Center in Binan, Laguna.
The exchange of words happened over at the Meralco bench during the height of the team’s huge fourth quarter comeback.
Alapag begged off from talking about the matter after the game, while Nabong left the venue shortly after the match.
But Newsome said Alapag and Nabong already talked inside the dugout when everybody in the team were all accounted for.
"But they already talked at the locker room after the game," Newsome disclosed.
It wasn't unclear what the exchange of words between Nabong and Alapag was all about, although people saw the Fil-Am forward ripped off his Meralco jersey following the incident before he sat down at the far-end of the team bench off a timeout.
Game Two of the best-of-five semis series will be held at the City of Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna on Tuesday.
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