CLIFF Hodge said he has no beef against Yeng Guiao at all despite the Rain or Shine coach openly labelling him as the "dirtiest player in the PBA" today.
The Meralco veteran said he didn't take Guiao's tirades personally following the incident between him and Adrian Nocum during the third quarter of the Governors’ Cup game between the Elasto Painters and the Bolts.
READ Guiao brands Hodge 'the dirtiest player in PBA' after Nocum scare
“I mean, I play basketball, I do what I do on the court. I go home and enjoy my family life. That’s it,” he said. “I don’t take anything personally on the court.”
"And I mean, Coach Yeng always hasn't liked me."
Rain or Shine nipped Meralco in a game played under a playoff atmosphere, 85-83, that featured a hard collision between Hodge and Nocum at the 4:06 mark of the third and the Elasto Painters leading, 67-63.
Hodge was seen in the replays extending his knee on a driving Nocum as the two collided in mid-air, leaving both players down on the floor and grimacing in pain.
The two were substituted later and retreated to their respective benches favoring their knees.
During the post-game presser, Guiao didn’t mince any words about Hodge’s physical plays, which meted an unsportsmanlike foul on the veteran forward.
“He is the dirtiest player in the league, I think. Dapat siguro tignan ng liga ‘yan. He is a danger to the other players in the game. His record speaks for itself,” said Guiao while noting similar incidents involving Hodge in the past.
“Sinaksak niya yung paa niya (Hodge) e. Kaya nga tinawagan na unsportsmanlike foul.”
But the 38-year-old Hodge, who finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists, wouldn’t be drawn into a word war with Guiao.
Hodge said he doesn’t have any personal relationship with Guiao.
“He does his job, I do my job,” he stressed. “It is what it is.”
Hodge, whose drive to the basket tied the game for the last time at 83-83, said his knee is banged up following that incident with Nocum.
“I was able to walk it off and played the rest of the game. So I think it’s okay. Just need some ice and we’ll be ready for the next game,” he said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
