ANTIPOLO CITY - Louie Alas said he was just trying to separate David Semerad from Calvin Abueba and had no intention of taking him down that resulted in his ejection early in the PBA Commissioner's Cup game between Phoenix and TnT Katropa on Sunday.
Alas felt the situation may get out of hand that he pulled Semerad away from Abueva, resulting in the TnT forward falling down on the Ynares Sports Center floor and sparking a mini commotion between the two sides.
The Phoenix coach thought it was a flop on the part of Semerad.
"Ganun ba ako ka-lakas? Alam mong super flop," said Alas following his ejection along with Fuel Master Jayson Perkins.
"Alam ko magkakagulo dahil pino-provoke niya na si Calvin. Kaya nilayo ko na," added the Phoenix mentor. "At tsaka alam naman natin bakit yan ipinasok."
The incident was sparked by a contact between David Semerad and import Rob Dozier at the 9:11 mark of the first quarter.
As Abueva tried to separate the two, David and 'The Beast' had a little exchange of words, prompting Alas to come into the picture.
David's twin brother Anthony Semerad later joined the fray that also led to his ejection together with TnT active consultant Mark Dickel, who was slapped with a technical for throwing the ball to the referee.
"I was just trying to appease one of the Semerads," said Perkins afterwards, surprised that he was also ejected out of the game.
But Alas said everything was part of the game.
"Kasama yan sa laro," said Alas, who delegated lead deputy Topex Robinson to call the shots for the Fuel Masters in his absence.
"Parang hindi rin ako nawala," the Phoenix mentor stressed.
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