Tim Cone. Photo by August dela Cruz
MANILA, Philippines—PBA commissioner Chito Salud fined B-Meg head coach Tim Cone for flagrant misconduct after throwing a monobloc chair on the court during the Llamados’ loss to Rain or Shine in Game 1 of the PBA Governors Cup Finals.
Cone was slapped with P3,400 for his fourth technical foul and another P20,000 for “serious disrespect for the game that could be misinterpreted as inciting further chaos and outbursts from the fans.”
“I made a mistake, I just got tired of yelling (to the referees), I got tired of pleading and I let my frustration get a hold of me,” Cone admitted in the post-game interview. “At some point you have got to make a statement and I just don’t want my guys to get hurt out there. It’s one thing to be strong and physical another thing to hit people and elbow people and do stuff like that, it’s another whole thing.”
It was a highly physical affair with the rugged Elasto Painters able to out-muscle the Llamados, 91-80, last Monday.
B-Meg held on for a 39-35 halftime lead before ROS turned things around in the second half to pull away, thanks to its hot shooting.
Trying to avoid a 0-2 hole, Cone issued some sort of a warning to ROS of what’s coming when both teams meet again in Game 2 on Wednesday.
“That’s their style of play and we’re going to have to respond to it and I’m afraid people are going to get hurt when we do that.”
Cone threw the chair on the court at the 7:23 mark of the fourth quarter with the game already slipping away from B-Meg, 64-74.
The Elasto Painters, led by import Jamelle Cornley’s 25 points, built a 83-65 advantage after a Gabe Norwood triple.