Tim Cone apologizes to Belga after altercation: ‘I shouldn’t be doing that’
Ginebra coach Tim Cone. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Known as one of the PBA’s most passionate figures, Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone knows when he’s in the wrong.
Cone apologized to Rain or Shine big man Beau Belga after their brief verbal altercation midway through the third quarter of the Gin Kings’ 83-77 win over the Elasto Painters.
Belga was called for a foul on Ginebra center Christian Standhardinger and the 6-foot-4 bruiser was quickly slapped with a technical following some extracurriculars.
Cone, naturally, did not appreciate Belga’s antics and berated the Rain or Shine bruiser but the two were quick to quash any hostilities.
“I said something to him and, and he took offense and, which he should, and then after I went over to apologize, I said I shouldn’t be doing that. You know the opposition coach shouldn’t be saying stuff like that,” said Cone at DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
“I just apologized to him for what I said earlier. I just got mad at him for giving him second motion to Christian. So I just apologized to him.”
Cone also said that he has the highest respect for Belga, whom he described as one of the PBA’s most intelligent players.
Rain or Shine big man Beau Belga. PBA IMAGES
Belga, a two-time champion with the Painters, is not the tallest of the big men in the PBA but has made a living as a burly force in the paint who can also stretch the floor with his shooting.
Cone likened Belga to one of his former players Bong Hawkins, who helped the Ginebra coach to his first Grand Slam in 1996 with Alaska.
“Beau and I have a good relationship, and no one, no one plays a smarter game, I think in my last 30 years of coaching I think Beau might be the smartest player,” said Cone.
“I have to give maybe a little bit of an edge to Bong Hawkins. But Bong and Bo are the two smartest players I’ve ever seen play in the PBA, just in terms of pure intelligence, and I appreciate both of them.”
