Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao stood by his actions after his heated exchange with Barangay Ginebra team governor Alfrancis Chua during Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The tension between the two spilled into public view during the Elasto Painters’ 97-85 victory, with Guiao later saying he was only doing his job by standing up for his players.
“Nagco-coach naman ako. Yun ang ginagawa ko. Wala akong ibang ginagawa,” Guiao said after the game.
“I’m also trying to protect my team, you know, from the refs being intimidated. That’s part of my job. Yun ang ginagawa ko.”
Earlier, Chua dismissed Guiao’s comments and said the veteran mentor should focus solely on handling Rain or Shine.
“Team niya, hindi ko pinapakialaman eh,” Chua said. “Governors, pinapakialaman niya. Trabaho na lang niya, mag-coach na lang siya.”
Chua also added that Guiao should concern himself only with his own team and not how Ginebra operates on the sidelines.
“Pakialaman niya yung team niya, wag niyang pakialaman yung team namin,” Chua said.
Guiao, however, insisted he holds no personal issue and sees it only as part of the intensity of a close playoff battle.
“Sa akin kasi, wala naman yun. Hindi naman kailangang dibdibin mo o dalhin mo sa loobin mo,” Guiao said.
“Sa akin, I will do anything to protect my team and the interest of my team.”
The Rain or Shine coach added that in a physical and emotional series like their semifinal matchup with Ginebra, every edge matters including officiating.
“Sa isang close series, emotional series, napaka-importante ng edge yung edge ng calls sa resulta ng game,” he said.
“Of course, sila na yung crowd favorites already. Mahirap naman na makita ng team ko na hindi ko sila kayang protektahan.”
With Rain or Shine’s win evening the series at 2-2, the semifinals now shift to a best-of-three with Game 5 set Friday at the Big Dome. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
The post Guiao defends heated exchange with Chua: ‘I’m protecting my team’ first appeared on Fastbreak.
0 comments: