Beau Belga admitted it surprised him when he incurred a flagrant foul penalty two during the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup meeting with the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters on Wednesday evening, resulting in him hitting the showers early.
The 6-foot-6 bruiser received the call at the 10:48-mark of the second quarter after he elbowed Fuel Masters counterpart Jason Perkins, who was trying to set a back screen for his teammate Eugene Phelps.
Perkins didn’t like it and pushed Belga, though no untoward incident occurred. He was then whistled for a technical foul.
“He’s just, like, nagse-set siya ng screen sa ‘kin, and I was like… Kumbaga ako, para hindi na maulit, susubukan kong sindakin.
“Eh nagkataon na tumama yung ganun, hindi ko inexpect na F2,” recalled the 33-year-old slotman.
Belga will not argue the call, though, since the game is over and done.
“Expected ko F1. Okay lang. Pero F2?
“Dun ako medyo… Pero wala akong magagawa dun eh. It’s their judgment,” he said. “They are the referee, I’m not the referee. But still, wala ka namang magagawa na eh.”
The 11-year pro’s absence was a big blow for the Elasto Painters. They lost, 84-86, extending their skid to three games and dropping them to 11th place in the team standings with a 1-4 win-loss record.
“Nagre-regret lang ako dahil ganun yung naging assessment, yung tawag nila. Nakaapekto din sa amin.”
Still, Belga is proud of how his teammates fought. The Elasto Painters had a chance to come out triumphant when they came back and knotted things up at 84, until a defensive lapse led to Garcia’s bucket.
But for Belga, it was really frustrating for his part not being able to be of help to his teammates.
“Wala naman akong ano sa teammate ko kasi lumaban sila hanggang sa dulo. Just minor lapses. Siyempre frustrated on my part kasi alam kong may maitutulong ako eh,” he said. “We still have next few games, so bounce back.”
