PBA: Yeng Guiao, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson get into verbal spat

Commotion between Rain or Shine bench and former TNT import Rondae Hollis Jefferson. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—A high-stakes match between Rain or Shine and TNT in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup got an equally high-tension ending after a scuffle between the Elastopainers’ bench and Tropang Giga’s former import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Rondae was seen bickering with the Elasto Painters’ bench after a technical foul was called on his brother, Rahlir, in the final seconds of the game.

With exactly 49 seconds left, Demetrius Treadwell went for a layup on the fast break with Rahlir smothering him on the way up. A shooting foul was called, to the dismay of the new Tropang Giga import leading to a technical.

And then, bedlam happened on the sideline.

“I was surprised. He was behind our bench, why was he there? That’s disrespectful. Totally disrespectful. Nobody does that. I don’t know if I’ve seen that in my 33 years of coaching in the PBA, somebody, in the heat of the game, just goes behind our bench. That’s our area. We had staff behind our bench. That’s a dangerous thing to pull,” said coach Yeng Guiao.

“Tinopak ‘yong gago. ‘Di ko alam ano’ng ginagawa no’n (He blew his fuse. I don’t know what he was doing).”

Despite the commotion, though, Guiao said that the matchup between his wards and coach Jojo Lastimosa’s was a “beautiful” game with the Elasto Painters coming out on top, 119-112.

“The game was nice. It was a beautiful game, the fans would love a game like that so maybe he just got emotional or frustrated… But you don’t take it out that way. I really don’t know the reason why he was there,” said the top coach.

Rondae denies storming Rain or Shine bench

Former TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Rondae, though, clarified that he wasn’t even talking trash to the Rain or Shine bench. Instead, he was barking at the referee who called the technical on his older brother.

According to Rondae, while he was having a heated argument with the ref, the bench started talking to him and telling him to move away.

“I didn’t go to their bench. I was talking to the ref… As a fan, I can move about where I want. I was upset at the ref’s call so I followed him on the sideline, one as a fan and two, that’s my brother. I could be biased, whatever. I went to the ref to say that it was BS. They (RoS) approached me. I’m on your side [of the bench] but I’m a fan. So what’s the issue?” explained the Best Import of the PBA Season 47 Governors’ Cup.

“I didn’t approach the bench, that’s the issue. That’s the problem. He’s (Guiao) saying I approached the bench. I did not say anything to any player, even when they were telling me to get out of there, I didn’t say anything to them. Once the coach said something to me, I looked at him and said, ‘don’t do that.’”

An animated Rondae Hollis-Jefferson explains his side of the fourth quarter ruckus.

RHJ said he was barking at the referee and not the Rain or Shine bench after a technical foul on his brother, Rahlir. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/jQXODwzoOS

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 5, 2024

What that “something” was remains undisclosed.  The former TNT import, though, did say that the veteran tactician “flipped him off” when he was on his way back to the Tropang Giga side.

“I was hurt. My emotions led to me following the referee, not your team. I had no disrespect to your team, I said nothing so for you to talk to me like that, as a man I got kids, I would never talk to you like that.”

“I would never flip you off, I’m sure they got that on camera. Let’s play that back, please. Thank you.”