For six games, the TNT Katropa and the San Miguel Beermen figured in an intense series that was both physically and emotionally draining. And the fierce rivalry between the two flagship brands of the MVP group and the San Miguel group respectively extended to the Semerad household.
After an alleged confrontation between their girlfriends after Game Five, Anthony of TNT and David of San Miguel figured in a loose ball situation that resulted in a jumpball duel between the two brothers in the early parts of Game Six. As the two Filipino-Australians jumped it up, Anthony won the face-off but accidentally hit his brother’s face, resulting in a broken nose.
“We did a jumpball and then I think it was just in the moment in the game and his elbow came and hit me on the nose,” David, who is five minutes older than Anthony, recalled.
“Damn. We were just going at it, going hard. Then after the jumpball, I went to sprint and he likes to stick to me like glue. I guess he was just so close to me when I did the run, I accidentally hit him,” the 26-year-old Katropa added.
“Unlucky, unlucky. I didn’t even know I hit him.”
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The 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals series was actually the first time the twins have faced each other in the playoffs.
During their collegiate days with the San Beda College, the two were part of a dynamic Red Lions frontline that won four NCAA Championships.
Both Anthony and David had entered the big league together back in 2014 with the former, who had just bagged the NCAA Season 90 Finals MVP, being drafted by the then-San Mig Coffee Mixers (later on traded to the Globalport Batang Pier) at seven; while the latter was picked by the Beermen three spots later.
But as fate would have it, Anthony would be traded to the Katropa back in early May, setting up the brother versus brother showdown a month later.
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For the entire Finals stretch, the twins played as if they did not know each other, as seen during that loose ball scrum that happened in Game Six.
“I found myself in a new team. I just wanted to work hard and give them my best. I guess it paid off,” shared Anthony, who averaged 7.83 points and 3.83 rebounds in 21.33 minutes in the Finals.
“We’re competitive. He really wanted it, but I guess it’s still our time to shine,” added David, who was limited to just 6.2 minutes per game in the series.
But off the court, the brothers did not let the intense series get in the way of their relationship.
“Off the court, everything’s normal, everything’s fine. We’re having dinner, we’re still going to the gym together,” Anthony admitted.
“But I guess, on the court, he’s the guy initiating it and wanting to go hard. But yeah, it’s part of the game so it’s okay.”
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As the confetti rained on the sacred ground of the SMART-Araneta Coliseum after San Miguel’s dominant 115-91 Game Six win, Anthony made sure to look for his brother.
“I was just telling him congratulations. I didn’t actually know I broke his nose,” Anthony shared.
“I was telling him sorry about that, but congrats, congrats, good game.”
And there were no hard feelings for David, as the now five-time PBA champion knew that his brother did not have any ill-intent to harm him.
“During the game, I was a bit irritated,” David quipped. “It’s hurting a little bit, yeah. A bit crooked, but I think it will be fine.”
After all, the twins, who gambled for an opportunity to make waves in their mother’s home country, are still family at the end of the day.
“It’s all good, whatever happened on the court, we’re still brothers off the court.”
