Pingris, TNT import Johnson get chippy in semis Game 2

Purefoods forward Marc Pingris shrugged off a heated commotion with Talk ‘N Text import Ivan Johnson in Game 2 of their semifinal series on Monday night.

Pingris and Johnson had to be separated by security personnel at the hallway of the Smart Araneta Coliseum seconds after the Tropang Texters’ 93-77 win over the Hotshots to even their best-of-five semifinals series at 1-1.

READ: Talk N’ Text fends off Purefoods to tie PBA semis series at 1-1

Pingris said Johnson was provoking him as both teams were heading to their respective dugouts.

Talk ‘N Text import Ivan Johnson gets physical with Purefoods forward Marc Pingris during Game 2 of their semifinal series. PBA PHOTO

“Nanghahamon yung import nila si Johnson,” Pingris, who played through a sore ankle, told reporters. “Nagmumura ng nagmumura. Hindi ko nga pinansin eh. Kung matapang eh di suntukin niya na lang ako.”

(Their import Johnson was provoking me. He kept on cursing. I just ignored him. If he were brave, he should have just punched me.)

“Ayoko ma-fine gusto ko lang Manalo (I don’t want to be fined, I just want to win).”

Johnson and Pingris were both called with double technical fouls midway through the fourth quarter after a rebound play before the two got caught up at the coliseum tunnel just outside the locker rooms.

“Emotions are really high especially in our series,” said Talk ‘N Text head coach Jong Uichico. “Teams find ways try to win games. It’s a given that emotions will be high.”

“We can’t tell our players to back down and Purefoods is not going to back down either,” Uichico added.

Pingris said the Hotshots are prepared for such physicality in the series but only the kind of physical nature within basketball terms.

“Handa na kami. Pero hindi naman sa pisikal na makikipagsuntukan kami (We are prepared, but not to the point that we would engage in a scuffle),” cleared Pingris, who also urged the referees to “control the game” and avoid things to further escalate.

“Sana makita nila ‘yung small things, ‘yung mga second motion kasi doon nagsisimula ‘yung away ( I hope they see the small things, the second motion, because that’s where fights start).”

The 34-year-old Pingris said his focus is only on the game and the team is putting the incident behind with a pivotal Game 3 on Thursday.

“Basta kami focus lang kami sa laro tapos na ‘yan. Iiwan na namin ‘yan. Ang pinakamasakit naman diyan ‘yung tatalunin ka eh. Wala ‘yung away away na ‘yan. Ang masakit talaga dyan ‘yung talo ka,” he said.

(We will just focus on our game and leave that incident behind. The most painful part about it is getting beaten. The altercation doesn’t even matter; it’s the loss that’s painful.)

Pingris also gave the ill-tempered Johnson, who had been previously involved in a similar incident with Alaska head coach Alex Compton late last month, a piece of advice.

READ: Alex Compton, TNT import make amends after heated exchange

“Kailangan kontrolin niya sarili niya dahil iba ‘yung ugali (He needs to control himself because of his attitude) .”

Pingris, who defended Johnson at times, was scoreless but did have seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. The former Atlanta Hawk on the other hand, had 16 points, 20 rebounds and five steals. IDL