During a tune-up game between Converge and Blackwater last Tuesday at Ronac Lifestyle Center in San Juan, one surprising act by a head coach almost resulted in a melee.
Midway through the second quarter of the tune-up, Jeo Ambohot was able to chase down a Tyrus Hill attempt.
As Aljun Melecio sparked a fastbreak attempt, Bossing head coach Jeffrey Cariaso rushed onto the court, tangling with Melecio to stop the possession.
The act almost sparked a confrontation but, fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.
Blackwater eventually won the game.
Cariaso also apologized to both Ayo and Melecio.
“He should not have done that. If he wants to address something, he should talk to the referees instead of taking action with the players,” lamented FiberXers head coach Aldin Ayo.
Melecio is just starting to make his comeback after dealing with a nagging calf injury during the tail end of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
During the game, the 5-foot-8 guard shared that his calf actually froze up as he did not expect a collision from his blindside.
“Aljun is still trying to recover from his old injuries,” Ayo said.
No infraction was given to Cariaso, and the game eventually finished without a hiccup.
Converge is sending the footage to the league’s office on Friday.
Tiebreaker Times has reached out to Cariaso regarding the incident but has yet to get a reply as of publishing.