Castro, Texters keep faith with ‘Angry Ivan’

TALK ‘N TEXT’S superstar point guard Jason Castro is not blaming import Ivan Johnson one bit for the things he did—or failed to do—in Game 6 Sunday night of the Tropang Texters’ title series with Rain or Shine for the PBA Philippine Cup.

Big, strong and agile, there was nothing wrong physically with Johnson in what was supposed to be the series-clinching game for the Texters.

It’s what’s between the import’s ears that didn’t function right in the crucial game—well, that’s according to Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“I think he is mentally unstable,” Guiao fumed, reacting to a series of rough plays that Johnson was involved in, including one against Rain or Shine’s own super point guard Paul Lee whom Johnson smacked in the face with an open hand with 3:37 left.

The highly physical Johnson tried to pick fights with several Rain or Shine players and, in so doing, neglected to do what was needed of him. He finished with just six points and six rebounds in 32 minutes.

But Castro was quick to say that no one among the Texters blamed the loss on Johnson, and that they remain 100 percent behind their import.

“We all know that he can be volatile at times, it’s in his (playing) history,” Castro told the

Inquirer in Filipino on the way to his car Sunday night. “He told us (in the dugout) that he will make up for it (in Game 7).

“For us, that’s more than enough,” Castro added. “No (team veteran) spoke against him (Johnson) in the dugout. We are a team and we back each other up.”

Ranidel de Ocampo, the other Talk ‘N Text superstar who worked his tail off in Game 6 to get the series over and done with, also took Johnson’s word in the dugout.

“Babawi daw siya sa (He said he will make up for it in) Game 7,” De Ocampo said.

Without saying it directly, Guiao said that Johnson is being “babied” by the referees, which explains why he wasn’t even given a warning after that hit on Lee and in another instance when he seemingly struck a fighting stance against Chris Tiu.

“What else do you call that?” Guiao asked with a wry smile. “Pero kayo nagsabi nyan. Kayo (media) mapa-fine (But you the media said that. You will be fined for it).”

But Guiao can tolerate another game with Johnson “playing angry” and out of focus.

“I think that is helping us,” he said