Yeng Guiao. FILE PHOTO
Yeng Guiao, the fiery head coach of Rain or Shine, believes the rough play between his team and Talk N’ Text in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals will only escalate.
“It will only escalate, if they (the referees) allow it to escalate,” Guiao said after his Painters lost 92-99 in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at Smart-Araneta Coliseum Wednesday evening.
READ: Talk N’ Text squares PBA finals series with Rain or Shine at 2-2
In game 4, a bench-clearing incident happened that led to three players getting thrown out of the playing court.
A scuffle at the baseline between Painters guard Jireh Ibañes and Texters wingman Matt Ganuelas-Rosser ignited the flame that started out as mere embers in the first three games.
READ: Fight breaks out in Talk N’ Text-Rain or Shine Finals
Rosser pushed Ibañes to the barricade in the baseline that separates the crowd from the playing court, then JR Quiñahan threw the ball smack to the face of the Texters rookie which ensued a near “brawl,” as Talk N’ Text head coach Jong Uichico described it.
Quiñahan was charged with a Flagrant 2 while Rosser and Ibañes were charged with fighting.
Even though only the three players were ejected, other things happened including Guiao facing off with Texters import Ivan Johnson.
Guiao said the testy atmosphere began when referees allow too much physicality that the players are having the confidence to rough it up even more.
“The referees are supposed to control the game and protect the players,” Guiao said. “It’s a nice series, we don’t want it to turn into an ugly series.”
“We’re not backing down, we’re just trying to focus on the game…neither team is going to back down.”
“But is this how we want to sell the game?”
Guiao cited the Game 3 incident when Paul Lee lost a tooth after Johnson elbowed the guard in the face.
He said that it would not have happened if the referees called a charge on the previous play that could have prompted Johnson to tone it down.
“Why turn your heads to those things every game?” Guiao queried. “It will explode eventually.