PBA: 13 tech fouls called as Batang Pier, Aces get into scuffle

A scuffle between GlobalPort, Alaska players. PBA IMAGES

A scuffle broke out late in the first quarter of Game 2 in the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series between Alaska and GlobalPort on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The game got testy when GlobalPort’s Anthony Semerad and Alaska’s Dondon Hontiveros got tangled up and dropped to the floor.

A bench-clearing brawl nearly ensued after Aces’ Calvin Abueva gave Semerad a hip check as Batang Pier’s Jay Washington was helping his teammate up.

Washington came to Semerad’s defense as he shoved Abueva to the ground that intensified the situation.

Game officials and even league commissioner Chito Narvasa himself jumped out of his courtside seat to help in pacifying the scene. He even got in the face of Hontiveros in the heat of the moment.

Upon a prolonged review, 13 technical fouls were handed out.

Abueva, Hontiveros, Manuel, Washington and Semerad were all slapped with a technical foul for second motion. Coaches and officials of both squads also weren’t spared.

GlobalPort governor Erick Arejola, team manager Bonnie Tan and head coach Pido Jarencio, Alaska governor and team manager Dickie Bachman, head coach Alex Compton and assistants Louie Alas, Monch Gavieres and Jeff Cariaso were all slapped with a technical foul for entering the court.

The record for the most number of technical fouls called in one game is 16, as per league head statistician Fidel Mangonon, in a duel between Alaska and Shell in the 1997 Governors’ Cup.

Interestingly, Narvasa was still the coach of Shell during that time.

As of posting, top seed Alaska is leading GlobalPort, 47-44, at the half.