MANILA – San Miguel Beermen and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings expect the rest of their 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final series to get more physical.
Beermen clobbered Kings in Game 2 Sunday night 134-109, effectively avenging their 97-127 loss to their sister team in Game 1 last Friday and tying the best-of-seven race 1-1.
With the outcome almost settled in Game 2, two Beermen – Arwind Santos and Chris Ross – were ejected from the match after figuring in two separate skirmishes with Kings players.
Santos was tossed out with over five minutes left and Beermen way ahead 119-95 after intentionally hitting Kings’ Earl Scottie Thompson with a shoulder in the solar plexus, sending the latter down to the floor for a couple of minutes.
Ross, on the other hand, was tagged with two consecutive technical fouls – first for excessive complaints to the referees and another for taunting Kings’ Joe Devance and Kevin Ferrer.
“I cannot blame them because of the intensity of the game. But next time they should be smart kasi may fine sila diyan,” said Beermen head coach Leo Austria.
“They were furious. Even sa dulo nagka-technical,” he added. “May effect iyan sa team e. It means they are out there to fight but we have to be smart because we can’t afford those technicals. Buti na lang malaki lamang.”
Kings head coach Tim Cone sees things to get even more chippy.
“I think you’re going to see that the whole series,” said Cone. “It’s funny. We are sister teams but we are not friendly. We are not friendly with them at all.”
“We see them as the mountain to be conquered, and they see us as a threat to their throne – as a main threat to their throne – so there is no love lost between the two teams,” added the 20-time PBA champion coach./PN
