₱200,000 fine!
PBA lowers boom on Santos; SMB eyes title
Game Today
(Smart Araneta)
7 p.m. — TNT KaTropa vs San Miguel (San Miguel leads series 3-2)
San Miguel Beer (SMB) is hell-bent on closing out TNT KaTropa and claiming the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown in Game 6 of the Finals tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen, ahead 3-2 in the best-of-7 series, go for the clincher at 7 p.m. after winning the last two games, including a stirring comeback from a 16-point deficit to take a 99-94 Game 5 victory last Wednesday.
Coach Leo Austria said SMB is determined to take advantage of every chance possible and prevent TNT from forcing a deciding seventh game.
“If they (TNT) give us an opportunity to grab the title, we will,” Austria said during the postgame interview which led to a bold declaration from his import Chris McCullough.
“We’ll win this s***. We’re gonna win this s***,” said McCullough, prompting Austria to break into a light-hearted laugh.
McCullough was among the heroes of the Beermen’s rally from an 85-69 deficit with 10:39 left in the fourth, scoring 19 of his 35 in that period including a layup that put them up 95-94.
But the biggest factor was the way Christian Standhardinger held TNT reinforcement Terrence Jones to just three free throws while committing six turnovers since replacing June Mar Fajardo with over seven minutes left in the fourth.
Standhardinger is hoping to replicate his role of neutralizing Jones while Fajardo looks to make his presence felt on offense along with Terrence Romeo.
The scoring productions of Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross will also be important in the Beermen’s bid to bag a second straight crown and open talks of a possible Grand Slam.
TNT coach Bong Ravena, who described
the loss as a “sorry lesson,” and consultant Mark Dickel are hoping to make their team respond in a big way and shrug off the effects of the Game 5 collapse.
“We can’t lose any more games. We gotta come ready to win,” Dickel said. Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer’s Arwind Santos was fined R200,000 by the PBA on Thursday for making a monkey gesture at Jones during Game 5. PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial handed the heftiest fine in recent memory after summoning Santos at the league office in Libis to explain the actions he
made with 1:05 left in the second quarter.
“Walang lugar ang racial discrimination sa basketball at sports in general at sa PBA in particular. Hindi pinahihintulutan ng liga yung mga ganung aksyon, at kung maulit pa, mas mabigat na sanction ang ipapataw natin (Racial discrimination has no place in basketball, sports in general and the PBA in particular. The league does not condone such actions, and a stiffer punishment will be handed if similar incidents happen in the future),” said Marcial.
“Bilang Commissioner, humihingi ako ng pasensya at pang-unawa kay Mr. Terrence Jones at sa kanyang pamilya. Ang PBA ay tahanan para sa lahat, bukas para sa lahat at walang kinikilalang kulay, lahi o paniniwala (As Commissioner, I would like to ask for an apology and understanding from Mr. Terrence Jones and his family. The PBA is open for everyone regardless of color, race or beliefs),” he added.
Marcial said Santos was apologetic during the meeting.
“Humihingi siya ng apology sa lahat
ng PBA fans, kay Terrence Jones at sa koponan ng TnT,” said Marcial.
Marcial said Santos will also issue a public apology.
The SMB star came under fire after he was seen dancing like a monkey at the sidelines after Jones was called for a foul late in the second quarter of Game 5 eventually won by the Beermen, 99-94, for 3-1 lead in the best-ofseven titular series.
He was asked several times if he was sorry for what he did, but he remained defiant.
PBA sources said Santos will also be asked to do community service as part of his penalty for taunting the TNT import.