ANTIPOLO City - It's not the way a team started but on how one finishes it.
Active consultant Mark Dickel was more than satisfied to see TnT Katropa walk away with a huge 114-88 win over Phoenix in a highly-emotional PBA Commissioner's Cup game on Sunday night in which a total of six personnel were ejected.
"Obviously that's not the way you want to start the game, but I'm just happy how we finish it," said Dickel on his way out of the Ynares Sports Center.
"Ultimately I'm just happy we handle it and got the win."
Things got out of control with just three minutes gone by in the first quarter following a commotion involving import Rob Dozier and forward David Semerad.
That led to the ejection of Semerad, his twin brother Anthony, Phoenix coach Louie Alas, sophomore Jason Perkins, and Dickel himself.
It set the tone for a physical match which later on saw the ejection of Calvin Abueva after a flagrant foul penalty 2 committed on TnT import Terrence Jones.
Dickel said he's more than satisfied with how the Katropa responded and not mind all the distractions, Jones most especially.
"I'm just really happy he didn't react or respond. That's the nature of basketball. If you really have a talented, offensive player, you need to try and aggravate him and get under his skin," Dickel said.
"I'm just proud of everybody. I thought Sandy (Arespacochaga) and the other coaches did a great job throughout the game. And I thought Roger (Pogoy) was really, really good tonight," he added.
Pogoy finished with a career-high 31 points to complement Jones, who had another 40-point game.
Jayson Castro also had a quiet triple double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
"I'm just proud of all the guys. They played great," Dickel said.
In hindsight, Dickel somewhat expected this game to be a long night.
"I think they're the team that plays the most physical. They're the team that really challenges you that way. We tried to prepare everybody for that kind of game," said the TnT consultant.
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.
