INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Because they were easily pacified by cooler heads, Sta. Lucia Realty’s Wesley Wilson and Red Bull’s Adam Parada avoided suspensions and got away with relatively light fines for an altercation that got them ejected Wednesday during a Smart Fiesta Cup game at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Wilson was assessed P65,000 and Parada P20,000 by Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios after hearing the sides of both players, who nearly came to blows with 3:45 left in the game already decided by then with the Barako holding an 89-65 lead.

Red Bull went on to win, 105-78, to grab the solo lead at 6-2.

Wilson sparked the row by nudging a fastbreaking Jojo Duncil, who fell hard on the floor. Resenting the foul, Parada shoved Wilson from behind and the Sta. Lucia import responded with an elbow that hit the Red Bull reinforcement on the cheek.

But before both imports could exchange blows, cooler heads intervened and Wilson and Parada calmed down just as fast. The two likewise didn’t protest the decision throwing them out.

In his decision, Barrios said Wilson got away with a light penalty despite triggering the row because he was easily pacified by cooler heads, he immediately left the court when game officials ejected him and his shot on Parada wasn't done with a closed fist and didn't cause injury to the Red Bull import.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola and Talk ‘N Text clash with separate foes on Friday, seeking wins that would allow them to pull even with Red Bull at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigers and the Phone Pals, tied for second at 5-2, will slug it out with Magnolia and Welcoat, respectively, as jockeying for the top two berths for the round heats up even more.

Coco-Cola and Magnolia collide at 4:50 p.m. before the Phone Pals try to pin a second straight loss on the Dragons in the 7:20 p.m. mainer.

In a related development, Purefoods Thursday signed 7-foot-1 Reda Rhalimi to take the place of the prolific Darius Rice, the tournament’s leading scorer who could only lead the Tender Juicy Giants to a 2-4 record in their first six games.

Rhalimi, a 26-year-old Moroccan who last played in Greece, will debut on Saturday when the Giants clash with slumping defending champion Alaska in Bohol.

Talk ‘N Text, which has responded splendidly to the blue collar work ethic of new coach Chot Reyes, will actually be shooting to win for the fourth straight time, which will be the longest in the tournament.

“Honestly, I am surprised that we are in this situation,” Reyes said last week when the Phone Pals edged Alaska, 98-96, to share the lead.

“I just want to see how this team grows.”