ANTIPOLO – Seldom does Jimmy Alapag lose his cool during a game.
But for a fleeting moment in Game 1 of the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals between NLEX and Phoenix, the rookie coach was seen shouting at the face of one game official for supposedly calling two consecutive fouls on Deonte Burton that put the import on foul trouble.
Alapag obviously had enough of it that he approached the referee and had a mouthful against him from the usually mild-mannered mentor.
READ: Burton, Bolick power NLEX's gritty Game 1 win over Phoenix
Asked about the incident, the former NBA players’ development coach of Sacramento said he thought the game official made two crucial call that put Burton on the brink of fouling out.
“I thought they were flops and they’re weren’t like fouls. And obviously it had a huge effect on the game. And they’re back-to-back calls. And I voiced my displeasure and I’m not happy about it,” said Alapag.
“I thought he made crucial calls against us that hopefully won’t happen again moving forward especially in a close game.”
The final straw came for Alapag with 7:54 left in the final quarter and NLEX leading 85-78 when Burton was called for his fifth foul off an offensive foul against Ricci Rivero.
The import was earlier whistled his fourth foul also on an offensive foul against Gian Mamuyac at the 3:46 mark of the third period.
Good thing, Alapag said he wasn’t called for a technical by game officials following the incident.
“I did good enough not to get a technical. I wasn’t trying to hurt my team as well,” he said
Reminded about him seldom losing his cool previously as a player and now as a coach, Alapag’s curt reply:
“Playoff time. But I kept my cool.”
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