Cliff Hodge insisted there was no ill intent in his hard foul on Zavier Lucero that sparked a heated altercation late in Meralco’s 117-92 loss to Magnolia in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The veteran bruiser said that he only prevented the sophomore winger from getting an easy layup and nothing else when the latter stripped the ball away from him before a battle for the loose ball occurred, leading to the incident.
“Nah, I don’t think so,” he told reporters moments after the Bolts’ 117-92 loss at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. “I mean, I was trying to stop the fastbreak layup. It is what it is. I’m not the ref, so… the guys decided what it’s gonna be, so it’s OK.”
Based on replays, Hodge appeared to have caught the head of Lucero while they were on the floor fighting for the rock approaching the game’s final 2:16 and with the game all but settled, which clearly irked the young ward.
Heated moment between Meralco and Magnolia with only 2:16 left to play in their PBA Philippine Cup encounter here at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The incident happened shortly after Cliff Hodge and Zav Lucero got into an argument. @tiebreakertimes pic.twitter.com/nVPJrY5hra
— Justine Bacnis (@justinebacnis) May 14, 2025
The two got into a brief spat but got separated by their teammates. The Meralco lifer was then slapped with a flagrant foul penalty one by the referees, and that meant the end of the night for him as he garnered his sixth personal foul.
But that did not stop there. Both benches got cleared shortly after, most of them trying to pacify the situation as the coaches and team officials got involved — that. after Hodge went over the opposing team’s bench.
Hotshots team manager Alvin Patrimonio, for one, was seen in a verbal exchange against Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic.
“They were talking mess, so I went there and asked what they wanted to do. And then I went back to my bench and then I looked back and they were still talking, so I went there and said what’s up,” the 37-year-old recalled.
Hodge also alleged that he received a headbutt from a Magnolia assistant coach although he did not identify which of them in particular.
“Yeah, from the headbutt,” he said as he was asked about the bruise on his left cheek. “The assistant coach headbutted me in my face. I don’t know if they didn’t see it or whatever, but I guess that’s OK for them.”
Still, cooler heads prevailed and both teams finished the game, with the Hotshots cruising to their sixth win in as many games to stay atop the conference standings while the PBA emissary to the BCL Asia fell to 3-5.
And Hodge himself chooses to move on as well, saying that whatever happens within the four lines of the basketball court should stay there.
“Everything on the court stays on the court for me,” he said. “So after the game I just want to shake everybody’s hands and just say congratulations on the win. Basketball is basketball, off the court’s off the court. That’s part of it.”
Tiebreaker Times tried to get the side of Lucero regarding the matter, but he was no longer in the venue as he headed home shortly after the match.
#WATCH: Cliff Hodge brushes off his scuffle with Zav Lucero but claims a Magnolia coach headbutted him during the heat of the moment 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times#PBA2025 pic.twitter.com/hJYK72QBNJ
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 14, 2025
