Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Stepheson on physical play: ‘It’s nothing personal, just physical ball’


The NLEX Road Warriors were not pleased with the physical play of Meralco’s hulking reinforcement

Alex Stepheson is big — really big. Standing at 6-foot-10 and weighing 249 pounds, the 29-year-old Californian dwarfs the majority of the league. His build, on the other hand, is perfectly suited for a bruiser.

Sunday evening, the NLEX Road Warriors saw first hand how difficult it is to stop Stepheson, who finished the game with 18 points and 24 rebounds. The 91-84 loss did not irk the Road Warriors as much as how physical the former USC Trojan got with some of the Road Warriors.

During the first half of the game, Bradwyn Guinto, a barrel-chested big man himself, was caught by an inadvertent elbow from Stepheson. No flagrant foul was called, but it resulted in a black eye for the Filipino-Australian.

Later on in the game, with six minutes and 30 seconds remaining, the American reinforcement figured in another incident. After diving for a loose ball together with NLEX’s Eric Camson, Stepheson was able to gain possession of the ball but was struck by former Adamson Soaring Falcon in the face, who was lying down beside him. That play resulted in a flagrant foul being called on Camson, and in expletives from coach Yeng Guiao.2017-PBA-Commissioners-Cup-Meralco-def-NLEX-Yeng-Guiao- Stepheson on physical play: 'It's nothing personal, just physical ball' Basketball News PBA  - philippine sports news

“Bradwyn Guinto had a black eye because he [Stepheson] elbowed him, and it was a flagrant, and they cancelled it and said that there was no foul — but he has a black eye!

“So it’s something that will happen in the heat of the game, but they never heard anything from Brad. Hindi naman nag-reklamo si Brad, na-black-eye-an siya,” criticized Guiao, who is known to speak his mind.

“[Yung nangyari kay Camson] Wala namang nangyari kay Stepheson eh, tapos siya yung naghahamon ng away, so wala naman yun.”

For Stepheson, he admitted that he is a physical player, but that’s just the way he is. And it’s nothing personal for him.

“It’s physical, I mean, I like it though.

“I got hit with a slap to the face, I don’t take it personal. I was upset at the moment but that’s basketball, it happens. I get hit, sometimes I hit people. I dish it out so I can take it, it’s nothing personal — just physical ball. I like it,” he added.

#ReadMore  Smart offers free livestream access to FIBA WC for subscribers

Regarding what Guiao hurled at him, he believes that it’s all part of the game.

“I really didn’t hear what he [coach Yeng] said, I just said what I had to say and walked away,” he reflected.

“Basketball is an aggressive sport, a bunch of alpha males out there competing. People say stuff, things happen and it’s over now so it’s back to playing ball.”

With his style of play, the PBA should expect more physicality from Stepheson — the one thing Meralco lacked during the Philippine Cup.

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

TNT booked the first ticket to the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals after finishing off the gritty Rain or Shine in Game 5...

Basketball

Yeng Guiao blamed the referees for costing Rain or Shine what could have been a crucial win in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup...

Basketball

TNT did not allow Rain or Shine to garner any more confidence by taking Game 4 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal...

Basketball

San Miguel and Meralco will take center stage when the Philippine Basketball Association celebrates its 50th founding anniversary on April 9. Commissioner Willie Marcial...

Basketball

Rain or Shine avoided falling into a dangerous spot as it showed grit in the endgame to foil TNT, 103-98, and take Game 3...

Basketball

The usual suspects came through when needed most as TNT survived Rain or Shine, 88-84, to take Game 1 of their PBA Season 49...

Basketball

Meralco’s hopes of advancing to the East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four were shattered on Wednesday evening, as the Bolts suffered a heartbreaking...

Basketball

Chris Newsome won’t just leave his brothers behind as Meralco shoots for the remaining ticket to the 2024-25 East Asia Super League (EASL) Final...

Advertisement